


Prisoner

by blankdblank



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Accidental Bonding, Alien Cultural Differences, Attempt at Humor, Enemies, Enemies to Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Smut, Hidden Talents, Kidnapping, Ronan the Accuser - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-29
Updated: 2019-06-03
Packaged: 2019-09-02 08:47:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 40,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16783615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blankdblank/pseuds/blankdblank
Summary: Ronan has a plan, one that hasn't been thought through very well. The supposed hostage isn't wanted in return for any sort of ransom or blackmailing scheme. But said hostage just might end up being the one to order the Kree Warrior around.





	1. Chapter 1

Just moments before dawn as you sprawled out face down across the couch in Stark Tower trying to cram eight hours sleep into just a single hour long power nap a pop sounded earning a grumble from you. The Kree giant in the living room smirked as he had easily found his captive and bait for his mission. Two quick steps later his hand moved closer to you only to hear you mumble, “Jarvis, blinds.” Your hand patted along the cushion collecting the pillow trying to slip free from under your head, the heavy step from the invader drew out another mumble from you as the blinds slowly rolled down over the wall of windows. “Before sunrise, they are your Children.”

Firmly his hand latched onto the belt looped in your jeans raising you to lay over his shoulder as he hit the button on his teleporter returning him to his distant ship nearly halfway cross the galaxy. Easily you were transferred to a hard stone carved chair, the purple eyes of the giant looking you over, fully expecting the shift in surface to wake you only to see your body turn and wiggle into an awkward sideways lounging position on the chair as you gripped your pillow tightly. Rolling his eyes he turned to take the time to finish the details on the chosen flight path out of the Avengers reach, smirking to himself at his presumed brilliance. Returning to you a disinterested sigh left the giant as he gripped your legs and lowered them, firmly gripping your shoulders to sit you up straight only to catch a flash of purple through your slitted eyelids parting his lips, distracting him just long enough to miss your arm drawing back to sharply slap him across the face.

His face remained still through his near snarling expression as you sat up looking around as he growled out, “You are going to regret that!”

Your furrowed brows earned a furrow from his as well before your boot collided with his chest sending him onto his back sliding across the room, instinctually you gripped your pillow and stood darting across the pitch black room and squeaking at the pop up bench that rose at your foot hitting the hidden marker in the floor before it. In a squeaking hop in a half circle you turned to face the giant, now on his feet again with a fiery scowl looking you over, taking in each detail of your wrinkled tank top under an open flannel shirt over your jeans and boots with your thick curls laying across your back and chest contrasting your purple eyes with its pitch black shade. Lowering your throbbing foot again you asked, “Where am I?”

Lowly he growled back, “On a ship far from your home planet little mortal.”

“Hmm.”

Curiously his scowl dropped at your tongue slicking across your upper row of teeth in your glance through the large window showing a brightly colored swirling grouping of stars and asteroids. “Hmm?” Walking closer to you he caught your stoic expression easing across your face in his path towards you.

“You just have to add little? What with your,” your eyes scanned over him then met his eyes again, “Seven foot stance plus platform boots? Let me guess height is power for, your people, whoever they are?”

Narrowing his eyes his hand reached out to grip your chin tilting your head back locking his eyes on yours, “I am Ronan the Accuser.” His hand shifted your chin slightly eying the way your eyes lit up under the small flecks of light from the window shining on them, “With eyes like that, you must have some Kree in you.”

Without missing a beat you fired back, “Is that supposed to be a pick up line?”

The clumpy black paint covering his brow inched up again as he eyed your face again releasing it, “Your words are illogical. I can lift you easily without need of words.” You couldn’t help but smirk as he turned to look at the guard entering the room, coolly he continued, “Once contact has been made to your team and a proper trade has been issued you will be returned to your pitiful excuse of a planet.”

A scoff from you turned him back to you, “Picked the wrong horse there Ronan, should have snagged Peter or Cap. You won’t gain much by taking me past a few bruises.”

“I doubt your team could manage past my shields to injure me. But if it calms your nerves continue to believe it, if you wish.” 

His brow rose again at your soft giggle, “Oh I doubt they’d ever leave the planet for me. But I do admire your attempt. I wonder how long it’ll take before you send me back when these negotiations of yours fall through.”

“You value your life so little?”

Smiling at him through another soft giggle, “One against billions easily replacing me in their minds, at least. Poor choice, but, you are a bit out of touch from our daily lives, how could you know.”

“You were in their home.”

You nodded, “I was doing an update on the systems and slept on the couch to wait out the storm. I hate driving in the rain.”

In a low growl he turned to his panel and pressed a few buttons, “We will see what you are worth to your Avengers.”

“Hmm.” Your eyes scanned over his back taking in the details of his leather looking outfit as he shifted to glance back at you curling your arms over your chest holding the pillow against you.

“Hmm?” Your smirk stirring a clench in his stomach making him growl as he turned away from you again to finish linking his system to Stark’s. The giant window now shifting to a shimmering silver before Pepper’s face appeared on the screen looking over Ronan then you, her eyes dropped to your fingers forming a set pattern of signs signaling her to turn her head calling for Tony, flashing the same symbols out of sight from the camera.

Within moments Tony, Steve, Bucky, Thor and Loki came into view on the screen, all crossing their arms and nodding at you as you flashed them a finger wave. Sternly Tony stated, “Miss Pear, if you’re going to take off before your shift is through at least leave a note.” His eyes shifted to Ronan, “You might want to check the ac in your apartment, your boyfriend’s looking a bit blue.”

Sternly Ronan replied locking his eyes on the Brothers behind Tony, “You will hand over the location of the Orb your Father has hidden from my people.”

Tony, “Orb?”

Thor, “Father never mentioned any Orb.”

Loki’s eyes scanned over you reading your next hand signal, “Is that my pillow?”

Ronan glanced back at you, “Apparently.”

Loki’s eyes narrowed, “Thief! I’ll never forgive you for this,” before he shifted his gaze to Ronan, “Keep her.” Turning and walking out of sight with Thor right after him as Steve and Bucky walked off mumbling, “Couldn’t manage a decent omelet anyways.”

Ronan looked back at the screen completely befuddled as Tony cocked his head stating, “I suppose this is some karmic justice for your comments on Led Zepplin. Have fun with lover boy and Loki’s pillow.” A wink from him went through before the screen cut off and Ronan turned to you catching your smile.

“Told you.”

Turning to you as the window switched back to normal he ordered, “You will get them to agree to my terms.”

“And if they never agree?”

His brows furrowed again, “You will never see your home again.”

You nodded, “Good thing you brought my pillow. All I need.”

Moving towards you he reached out to grab it only to have his hand swatted away as you held it behind you. “Your small trinket will not secure your safety on my ship.”

“Obviously not, it’s a pillow.”

“Then why cling to it so. It clearly holds no chance at protecting you.”

A smirk from you in his next move to claim it ended with him freezing as you whacked him across the face with it, “You’ve clearly been slacking on your lessons on Earth.”

With a glare his hand gripped your forearm and you tossed the pillow to your former seat as you gripped his in return twisting it, a stunned expression forming on his face at the motion from you turning him away from you freeing your other arm. Firmly your boot collided with his back sending him away from you before his steady inhale and turn to face you when his staggering steps had halted.

His eyes once cold and dismissive of you now flashing with an impressed and increasingly possessive glimmer in them, a smirk joined it as he rushed towards you again. A grip on your arm was avoided as you shifted aside gripping his arm and shoulder kneeing him in the rib as hard as you could earning a groan from him. In his hunched state his arm lowered to grip your leg jerking it upwards sending you onto your back. “We can’t keep this up forever. You will convince them.”

“We can’t or you can’t?” Your playful challenging spark in your eyes earning one from his as well, “I wonder if I choked you what color you’d turn to.”

Narrowing his eyes, “So determined for such a small creature.”

In his lean to lift you up your body rolled curling your leg around his arm pinning it through your hand knocking his helmet off as your other leg wrapped around his neck leaving him leaning back on his knees struggling to draw in a breath as your hand holding you up shifted to grab his free hand, “Again with the height…” A weak breathy giggle from you sounded as he felt you release his free hand and loosen your legs.

Turning over in a rushed spin readying to attack you again in your apparent moment of weakness his anger flashed back as he spotted his servant Nebula with her twin daggers pressed into the base of your head drawing two small trickles of blood. His hands firmly gripped your hips helping you lower to the ground on your knees as your legs shifted off his shoulders through his saying in Kree, _“This does not concern you. Get out.”_

The parted lips of his servant closed as she stole the chance to slide one of the blades along your neck spreading the insignificant cut around the left side of your neck drawing another snarl from him causing him to stand, _“Nebula!”_ Her body halted and she turned to look at him, _“You will not harm her again.”_ Her head bowed and she sent one last glare your way on her path to the door leaving you alone.

Turning to look at you he caught your head tilting as he stepped closer to you with his hand extended palm up, “Oh now you’re Mr Gentle?”

“For my people duels are honorable. Ours was interrupted and you were injured unjustly.” As you stood his hand raised accordingly before leaving yours to raise your chin again eyeing the droplets of blood sliding down your neck from the slices. “Your honor has been slighted. None on this ship will harm you again.” Turning from you his eyes flickered with something close to pain sparking a curious twitch of your brow why the barely interesting wound had bothered him at all. “I will show you to your room.”

“Oooh.” Your one word response drew his eyes to you at your place now at his side curiously, “Does it have bars? I’m guessing it has bars.”

He blinked at you as you nipped your lip expecting some reaction to your teasing response. “It does not have bars.” His eyes lowered to your hands where they lingered on the pillow he did not see you turn and fetch from the other side of the room.

“Aww. Pity.”

“You would prefer a cell?”

You smirked up at him, “Only to see reaction when I still milled around at my leisure.”

“You certainly seem sure of yourself.”

With a shrug you replied, “I have my strengths. No matter how useless to others they seem.”

After a maze of halls as your eyes took in the details of the dimly lit ship around you Ronan stopped outside a silver door that parted when his fingers tapped a hidden sensor on the wall beside it and allowed you through into the plain room with a table along the wall with a strange octagonal dip in the middle of the floor. Once inside he pointed to a door, “For your needs.” You blinked and peered at the door curiously before you noticed his turn to face you, his hands gripped your hips again to set you on the table. Blinking up at him you watched his right hand reach out to the floating tray he grabbed a sheet of gauze from while his other fingers curled under your chin tilting it back. Through this your eyes watched his catching his poorly shielded internal struggle with something.

His head turned and he moved to wipe the streams of blood free from your neck only to furrow his brows noticing your wounds were gone, in his distracted state your hand reached out to press against his ribs earning a low groan as you pressed the spot you’d kneed him in. “Just testing your healing abilities.” A spark spread through his eyes when they met yours again, “Never met a Kree before.”

His eyes dropped to your neck again as his cleaned away the rest of the blood, “Your neck. You have…”

A smirk eased onto your lips, “Superpowers? Yes.”

“Your team knows this?”

“Technically I’m not supposed to use them.” Your sentence ended as he took in greater detail of the simple eye makeup and deep maroon lip stain you had on contrasting the near porcelain complexion stirring a curious string of thought in him causing his heart to race as he felt his body heating up.

“Why is that?”

“People tend to get hurt. Random explosions, bystanders spiking into rages, glass shattering, just chaos really.”

His eyes met yours and you watched his pupils flinch wider then shrink again as he felt yet another wave of endorphins coursing through him to counter yours. The formerly unknown pheromones and hormones coming from you coursed through him slamming heavily against his unexperienced being since the shift in your brief duel from fiery to hinting at playful. For Kree at least this triggers the last form of their maturation, a sudden burst into puberty considered by some as the deadliest of times to find a Kree male in their turbulent moods and possessive streaks. In all your presumed innocence you’d become the most tantalizing being in the known universe to the Kree warrior who found himself slighting your honor. His place as a suitor now tarnished greatly at the dishonorable act of his servant denying you your physical test against him allowing you to share your strengths and weaknesses with one another. “Far more valuable than your team could barter for then.”

His words stirred another pulse in his pupils at the momentary surge of pleasure through your smirk at his words stirring a hope in him that his standing was able to be recovered in your eyes. Somewhere in that simple sparring the mighty warrior had found himself so easily swayed by a single twitch or glance from this innocent creature now controlling him without a clue. “What an incredibly naïve assumption. Sweet, but naïve.”

After another blink he stepped back saying, “You will assist me in my mission then.”

His hand waved away the floating tray, “Is there a request in there somewhere?”

His head turned to glance at you again as he straightened up through the next crashing wave coursing through him earning a pause from him as he tried to decipher just what you were feeling. “No.” he replied plainly. “You will assist me then we will discuss your return.”

“Why should I help you?”

His body shifted to face you again as he stated, “I am in need of assistance and you shall assist me.”

“Gonna need a bit more information than that to even consider it.”

He blinked at you, “I am in search of the Orb.”

You sighed rolling your head and rubbed your neck at the tension from your fall earlier, mumbling, “Zero fucks given.” A bit louder you added, “Next please.”

“You will retrieve the Orb for me!”

“Really now? And just what is so special about this Orb of yours?”

He furrowed his brows stepping closer to you, “The Kree and Xandar were at war for a thousand years. My Grandfather and Father both fell to it. I need assistance retrieving the Orb to pass on to another who will aid me in seeking vengeance on Xandar.”

“Are you fucking insane?! You’re expecting me to help you kill others over some, grudge you hold against the people yours warred with?”

“You will assist me.”

“Why don’t you just ask your vengeance buddy to help you?”

“Thanos does n-.”

“Thanos?”

His eyes darted to yours from his glance away, “Yes.” His eyes focused on yours through the growing swirl of rage coursing through you instantly forcing his allegiance to shift to your side over the Titan’s. “You know of Thanos?”

“The orb. I want to deliver it personally to the giant raisin.”

“This is your agreement then?”

You nodded offering him your hand, “I get your orb you take me to Thanos.”

He nodded his head and shook on your deal, “I will let you rest.”

Your hands dropped and he turned to walk away only to pause at your saying, “I’ll need a few things first.” He turned to you watching as you snapped your fingers, teleporting you both to the center of a bustling massive multi storied mall in Japan. In a glance around he paused at his reflection, now appearing fully human about a foot shorter in a t shirt, jeans and thick shorter boots. His eyes especially lingering over his shaggy brown hair and short stubbly beard and mustache. In a rapid turn to look at you his lips parted only to close when your hand eased around his elbow guiding him towards the shops, “Come on. They close at seven, doesn’t leave us much time.”

“Why did you bring me here?”

“I assumed Kree, like other races guard their prisoners. It won’t take long.” His eyes shifted from the crowd to meet yours again, “Unless you enjoy it here more.”

“I have plans.”

You nodded and looked ahead, “Well, if you change your mind on your vengeance there’s always time to start again somewhere new.”

“And where would I go?”

You giggled glancing up at him, “That’s the fun in it. Pick a buddy and just say, let’s run away together.” His lips parted only to shut again as you led him into the first store.

.


	2. Chapter 2

The near empty large shop in the bustling mall raised the nerves of the transformed giant at your side into a cautious little fawn in your eyes earning a smirk from you as your fingers gripped his arm just a fraction tighter. His eyes shifted to yours in their same bright purple shade near yours, “You can trust me. We’re safe here. A few stops then we can get back to your ship.”

Lowering your hand left his eyes trailing after it before his hand folded around yours anxiously when the first shop keep approached you glancing between you both just as you shifted Ronan’s eyes to a deep hazel shade to hide the chance of you being related in his eyes. A single glance at the black shirt with white bubble letters saying, “Call me Big Papa” around the image of Papa Smurf across the front of it brought a smile to the shop keep’s face. His head turned to look at you asking in broken English, “Welcome, how will, I help you?”

Your smile inched wider as Ronan looked at you as you replied in Japanese, _“I was wondering if you have any pillow top mattresses in stock?”_

An eager bow of his head came before he waved you farther into the store. At your side Ronan stole a glance at your fingers that stirred a curious urge to have them on his skin again. Even in this form he could still feel and sense everything to his usual standard with only a slight unease at the difference in height, something that in these crowds left him a comforting height above those around you easing his struggle to break your shielded image of him. Choosing to remain under your guidance and image you had forced on him, though as you eyed the large mattress he did not miss the stolen glances at him taking in somewhat pleased reactions at him in each. Glance after glance waves of emotions and endorphins washed over him only adding to his struggle to remain apart from you.

Beside the last mattress in stock to your liking Ronan stood watching as you sat on it and laid back testing it across the plastic protective sheet then sat up again nodding at the shop keep and continuing your unintelligible conversation while he looked on. The man’s large smile vanished for a moment in his prompt bow of his head before his leading you towards the desk along the wall with a separate register of its own. In a glance back your elbow bumped Ronan’s drawing his eyes to yours curiously as you asked, “Waiting here Marshmallow?”

Your head turned as you followed after the man only to have his large frame join your side after asking, “Marshmallow? What is the meaning of that?”

Smirking up at him you replied, “It’s a nickname.” His brow rose at the lack of understanding of this term as well, “Another name for me to use for this alias of yours.”

“Is Marshmallow a common name?”

You shook your head, “I thought you might prefer a unique one to help you remember it. And so I can shout it in a crowd and have you pop up at it.” You looked forward again and claimed one of the seats the man offered you while Ronan plopped down beside you watching as the papers were filled out and you handed over a colorful plastic card that was swiped and passed back again. But with a second set of papers the man’s brows rose as you stood, forcing Ronan up abruptly as well. You accepted the printed receipt he had given you and snapped your fingers after muttering something to him. A childlike excited smile spread on his face watching the mattress float as it shrank over to you and into a small pouch you slid out of your pocket before he bowed to you both and watched you leave.

Peering down at you Ronan asked lowly, “You stated you weren’t allowed to use your abilities around mortals. Or was that a lie?”

Softly you chuckled, “A few shrunken objects here and there won’t force the planet into collapsing. Besides, they love the Avengers here, just slipped the name and they keep it tight lipped.”

“Tight lipped?”

Smirking again you glanced up at him catching his glare at a pair of teens eyeing you as you passed, fully distracted by your figure to pay any mind to the glaring giant at your side. “It means to keep something private between the parties involved.”

“A secret then.”

“Not really. It’s not devastating if it gets out into public knowledge, just preferred to keep it private as long as they can manage.”

His eyes locked on yours while you nudged him to take the next right, “You mortals have such irritating languages.”

Your head turned forward as you grinned through a giggle raising his brow at the reaction, “I’m older than you are Ronan. Perhaps even your home planet.”

Softly he muttered, “What?” You smirked up at him guiding him through a shop on your left breaking through the crowded halls and into the clothing shop where all the attendants and groups of women inside all whispered as they stole glances of you both. Slowly you passed through the first row of racks as he asked again, “How? What sort of creature are you?”

With a smirk you glanced up at him replying, “It really doesn’t matter. I’m the last female of my kind anyways.” That only making his brow tick up again, “I’ll tell you what,” his eyes dipped to watch your tongue dart out to wet your lips then snapped up to meet yours again, “After we find the orb if it still matters to you I’ll tell you.”

He nodded his head curtly replying, “Agreed.” In a glance over the clothes he asked, “Why are we here?”

“I need clothes. I’ve gotten my bed, have a few more essentials then we can go after eating something.” As your sentence ended you watched his resting scowl return onto his face drawing out another giggle from you, “You know you’re cute when you’re angry.”

“Cute?” You nodded and his brows furrowed trying to decipher the meaning, “Is this a term used to describe the warriors of your race?”

For a moment your lips pursed then you replied, “It would depend on the warrior-.”

His head nodded and he cut you off, “I will accept your compliment then.” His eyes lingering on the shirt you were focusing on trying not to reveal your massive amused grin to the giant taking your compliment he assumed on his fierce demeanor as yet another sign of your approval of him, even in this pitiful forced appearance you seemed to be testing him with. With an armful of clothes you walked to the changing room where you said “I’m going to make sure these fit properly.”

Blankly he looked over your face asking, “And where do I go?”

“There’s a bench right there. Won’t take long.” With a sigh he sat on the bench beside your changing room door eyeing the women all stealing pictures of him as he glanced at the closed door parting you in his lean against the wall behind him.

“What else are you purchasing after this?”

“Just one more stop at another shop then I’ll get us dinner.”

“I have food on my ship.” He replied lowly glancing at the door again at the sound of shifting hangers while you used your abilities to swap out each of the shirts and jeans you had chosen with varying smiles as the others in the stores missed the swapping of items not fitting you best.

“True, but for however long I will be under your care, least I could do was to try and show you my appreciation in advance.”

“In all my prisoners not once has one tried to show me appreciation for anything. Let alone sparing their lives.”

Redressed you exited the changing room with selection draped over your arm smirking at him as his eyes locked on yours, “Well you clearly have not had me as a prisoner before. I am quite masterful at it. Decades of practice.”

His brow rose as he stood joining you to the registers, “Who took you prisoner?”

“That, is a shockingly long list, and all for varying degrees of reason.” You caught his eyes for a moment, “I was never in the cell longer than a couple hours, and that was just using the time for a quick power nap.”

“Power nap.” He muttered under his breath watching you pay once again with the same card then led him out the store and across the crowded hall into a brightly lit shop filled with strange vials and containers of varying colors making his brows furrow again. “What is the purpose of this place?”

“Makeup.” His brows bunched together more earning another giggle from you, “The black markings on your face,” he nodded, “Are those natural or do you add them?”

“They are my chosen markings. I use them to replicate the appearance of Odium. An elixir used to aid my people in a glorious rage filled death in battle when cornered.”

Peering up at him you tucked your lips in your mouth for a moment then you glanced back at the shelves on your left. “Hmm.”

Curiously he stepped closer to your side when you kept eyeing the shelf farther down, “Hmm?”

In another glance at him you asked, “I don’t understand-.”

“When my people-,”

Your head shook as your hand waved between you for a moment, “No. I get the definition. What I’m failing to understand is your reasoning for choosing to mimic it. To state you have unending rage, or that you believe you’re fighting a losing battle?”

His lips parted then they closed for a moment as the options dawned on him, “I did not consider the second assumption at all. I am ruthless, and will not stop at anything for a chance to see my people to their former glory once more, free from this farce of a peace treaty.”

“Ah.”

Your head turned again and he huffed walking beside you again, “These utterances of yours require further explanation each time, why do you insist on using them still?”

“It’s mainly a habit now.”

“Habits can be broken.”

In your eyes he caught another recurrence of your playful glare as he inhaled deeply clenching his fists behind his back through the wave of attraction, defiance, happiness and a curious hint of fear he was feeling from his bond with you, “You intend on breaking me?”

“No. A few of your habits however are tedious and unnecessary.”

Giggling again you turned back to the displays collecting eye primer, liner then stopped gathering a small bundle of eye shadows before stopping at the nail polish section, then you paid and led him to the final store.

.

Outside in the long hall Ronan paused eyeing the giant poster with the lingerie clad woman on the front window, “We can’t go in there…”

You smirked at him, “You can wait outside if you like. I won’t be long.”

Ronan took a step as you did, “I’m not letting you out of my sight, again.”

His eyes wandered to the shop doors and you rolled your eyes, “No one is undressed inside, they’re just images to sell the clothes. You can come in with me.”

After a steady inhale he joined you inside where he focused on the path ahead of you and your choices, curiously eyeing each uncertain of why some brought out flashes of memories of pain or irritation while others brought on relaxed moods right after. Once paid for he let out a relieved breath joining you out of the mall with the crowds as an announcement overhead caused all around you to turn and join the path to the bustling street.

After you had added your purchases into your small pouch from your pocket and curled your free hand over his arm drawing him even closer to avoid hitting his head on a low hanging sign, he in his distracted state, would have ran right into before your hand dropped again. Promptly your hand was claimed possessively so you would not be lost in his curious wondering path, taking in the glowing city around you.

…

A small building barely packed with giddy teens welcomed you to the empty table in the corner as soft gasps came from their group as they snapped pictures of you both subtly, respecting your distance but not subtly enough for Ronan to miss it. His eyes wandered over to the group as he asked, “Do you know those creatures?”

You shook your head not needing to turn around you replied, “No. The appearance I’ve given you is a familiar face.”

“Why?”

Your eyes rose from the menu to state, “You stand out like a sore thumb. I thought if you had a familiar face you might not draw such a crowd.”

He blinked at you glancing from them to you again, “This isn’t what I wanted. I’m not doing this. I am not here to be gawked at by these feeble creatures. I am a warrior!”

In his move to stand your hand planted on his as you eyed the waitress arriving to take your order. The simple contact of your hand on his stirred a ripple of your emotions above a steady set of pulses he could feel growing stronger by the second with your contact revealing the hidden store of energy you had inside you. His eyes locked on yours through the order you gave to the eager teen bowing her head before racing off to put them in. Releasing your hand was an option unavailable to you as his hand curled tighter around your fingers when you tried to pull your hand back again. “What reason do you have to hate Thanos?”

Your eyes shifted to the teen returning with a pair of drinks you smiled at her with a soft thanks before she stole another glance at Ronan then turned away to race back to her friends in the kitchen. “He stole something of mine.”

“That would be?”

“The tesseract.” Ronan’s brow raised, “I have since gotten it back, but the grievance still is yet to be righted.”

“How did that object come to be in your possession?”

You smirked at him, “It was a birthday present from my Fathers.” Now I have a question for you.” He nodded his head, “Why is your ship shaped like a giant licorice twizzler?” his brow twitched up again, “It’s a form of candy on Earth.”

“My ship belonged to my Father.”

“Ah.” You stole a quick sip of your drink form the straw you unwrapped and added with one hand drawing his eyes curiously to the identical drink in front of him, “It wasn’t an insult, by the way.” His eyes rose to meet yours as you unwrapped his straw and added it to his drink, “It is merely an interesting design.”

His free hand shifted to draw the drink closer to him allowing him to take a sip of the drink before his brow twitched then settled again at the tolerable choice. Sliding the glass back again you both eyed your food selection arriving breaking your hands apart in his reluctant acceptance of the tolerable reason to do so. When she left again his eyes met yours as he watched you choose your utensils and start to slice up the food in a way he easily replicated, “Is this how you usually treat your captors? Here is a glass of, whatever, and do as I do?”

You couldn’t help but smirk, “No. I don’t usually feed my captors unless I take them prisoner afterwards.” Making his brow rise through his chewing the piece of meat he’d cut. “So, tell me more about the Kree.” Your eyes locked again and a pleased glimmer flashed in his eyes through his swallowing to start at the birth of his people.

…

A snap of your fingers brought you back again onto the ship right in the center of the room you had woken up in as his shielded image rippled away drawing him back to his former height and appearance. Mid sentence about the earliest recorded of his ancestors your eyes fell on the green woman along the wall staring at you both beside Nebula and a half cyborg glaring at you. The cyborg stepped forward stating, “Ronan, where have you been? Thanos has sent an inquiry into your progress. I arrived and you were nowhere to be found.”

Ronan’s hand motioned to you, “Miss Pear is going to find the orb.”

The green woman stepped forward circling you as she asked Ronan, “And just where have you found this mortal?”

You couldn’t help but smirk as he stated, “I have taken her from the Avengers, Gamora.” His hand motioned for you to join him on the walk back to your room only to watch her hand reach out to grab your shoulder. Rapidly you averted her grasp in a lean to your left pressing you against Ronan’s arm for a moment in your turn to catch her shocked expression before she curled a fist and tried to punch you only to watch as your hand folded around hers. All her memories and knowledge of Thanos flashed through her mind at once sending her to her knees with a trembling breath. Behind you Ronan eyed her curiously then darted his head towards Nebula, who froze as your hand raised flat in front of her face in her charge at you, drawing her memories as well before she dropped to her knees shuddering at the effects of it. Your head turned to the cyborg to ask, “Your name?”

“I am Korath the Pursuer, Son of Thanos.”

You nodded your head and extended a finger, “Korath, kindly share your knowledge on Thanos or I will take it by force.”

His lips parted as he watched your fingers raise to his cheek level inching higher through his nod to give his temple a simple tap before you walked away leaving him looking himself over in shock at the vast difference between his painless interaction and his Sisters’. Beside you Ronan stole a glance at you and asked when the door separating you had closed, “Your contact with me, have you been draining me of my knowledge this entire time?”

Peering up at him your eyes met in his glance down at you, “Trust me, if I had you would know. For a moment there I imagined we had possibly gained the start of a friendship.”

“You wish for friendship from me?”

The deflation in his tone drew your eyes to his again, “The best relationships are always founded on friendship and trust. Or do Kree believe otherwise?” Bolstering his mood greatly, showing him a path to earn your affection at least.

“We have friendships. I however have allies.”

“Hmm.” Wordlessly he accepted your simple response as you continued your path to your room catching an echo of the trio following after you. They both watched as you drew your small pouch from your pocket to set up your bed along the far wall and brought out the wrapped set of sheets to coat it as Ronan continued the history of his family.

He continued until another of his servants arrived to check their progression on their set path earning a growl from him stirring a curious brow rise from Korath as he watched you leave your shoes beside your bed to walk into your bath, sealing the door behind you breaking their watch of you to eye the odd bath. Thankfully your glimpse into Gamora’s mind brought the hidden trick to turning on the waterfall shower in the tiled corner of the room instantly filling the room with steam as you stripped and stepped into the water unaware of the warmth and swirl of changing impulses Ronan felt from you and felt himself giving off in return during his walk to the main steering room.

..

Under the hot water your eyes glimmered as you saw through the double now also standing naked in Loki’s shower drawing a smirk on his face at the sound of it switching on by itself. On his feet he stripped and wet his lips entering the glass shower moving straight to pin you against the tile wall in a hungry kiss causing Ronan’s eyes to widen at the surge of lust coursing through him. A heavy pant came from the wet Prince gliding his hands over you as his hands eased your legs around his middle to sink inside you slowly with a pleased moan.

“Bonding well, Dearest?”

You nodded, nipping at your lip after his lips left yours again, “Ronan is not nearly as difficult as other imagine, a simple boot to the chest and he relaxed well enough.”

In a low chuckle against your neck Loki continued his eager thrusting squeezing your thighs tighter around his middle through your pleased moan, “You dueled with Ronan?”

Tilting his head back his eyes met yours through his playful smirk, “Jealous?”

After a nip at his lip he gasped through your climax now turning Ronan back to your room through the trio of stunned watchers waiting to hear the rest of your plan only to follow after him on his steady march back to you. A second moan followed after yours as you drug Loki right over the edge after you earning you a few moments to claim another fiery lip lock as he slipped out of you and eased his arms lovingly around you. “It depends on the duel Dearest. Kree males don’t tend to show fondness for any creature unless they’re bonded. Will you show me your duel?” You nodded tapping your lips to his nose only for him to chuckle, “Congratulations Dearest, you’ve triggered his maturity.”

“Maturity?”

He smirked, “I believe the mortals would say, his balls have dropped. Puberty, Love.”

You rolled your eyes, “You’re joking.”

He shook his head, “No Love. Actually, out of all the Kree you could have bonded with Ronan is by far the most reckless and powerful, only now, he’s doubly so. Kree males are damn near impossible to take down by anyone but their Mate. Seems he’s aimed at winning you over since that Nebula interrupted his bonding match with you.”

In a giggling scoff you replied, “Winning me over.”

He nodded and stole another kiss, “Face it Love, You’re going to have to settle for two Husbands.”

Your brow rose, “Two Husbands? And since when are we engaged?”

He smirked feeling Ronan drawing closer to your body as your powers pulsed at the incoming quartet headed for your room. “My Love, Asguardian law binds me to the woman I take to my bed.” Your lips parted, “I had hoped to work you a bit closer to the topic of engagement soon anyways.” His eyes glimmered, “Do not worry, he will only ever be your second Husband. We will fall in line to your laws Love.”

“He’s storming his way back.”

Loki chuckled, “He must have felt what I stirred in you. He can feel your every desire Dearest,” he couldn’t help but smirk as he purred, “No doubt he felt that spike of lust and quick sating after.” You shook your head easing it back to feel the water pouring over your face, “You’ll have to sleep with him to calm it.”

His hand cupped your cheek when you met his eye, “Loki.”

“When you do, I want to see it after.” Your giggle muffled against his lips as he stole another kiss. “I love you. Now, go handle your Husband.”

You rolled your eyes and shared your love before your double faded leaving your smirking Husband to finish his shower and towel off as you eased your hands over your hair only to turn your head towards the door when it opened revealing the fiery eyed Warrior searching the entire room with his eyes ensuring you were alone. Around his frame the trio peered in looking your make up free face over before Ronan entered using his clenched fist to hit the knot on the wall to close the door behind him. Slowly his eyes took in your every detail in your turn to face him as you asked, “Finished already? I assumed it would take longer with the three of them.”

Steadily he let out the deep breath he had been holding, “Their interrogations are frivolous. You were alone this entire time?”

You nodded, “Only me in here. At least till you came in.”

Hungrily his eyes scanned over you again through his turning to grab your waiting towel he held out to you as you wrung out your hair after shutting off the shower. With an easy smile you accepted the towel and dried off and pulled on your waiting fresh set of panties and bra. The black pair drawing his eye at how they eased around your curves still exposing enough of your cleavage and backside drawing him to more deep breaths as he struggled to remain in place watching you grab a tube from the shelf along the wall. A small bit of cream was added to your fingers and was slicked over your feet, and up your legs before your arms were done as well. “The trio, they were asking about your plans.”

“We need to go to Morag.”

“Morag is nearly a month’s travel.”

You nodded, “Yes it is.” Slowly you eased the knots out of your long pitch black curls and worked them into a long braid and pulled on a pair of knee length pants and a tank top before hitting the knot on the wall opening the door revealing the stunned trio, “You were saying, the conquering of Balaxxus 93?”

He nodded leading you out of the room to watch you cross to your bed and sit down curling your legs in front of you. Before he could say anything Nebula stepped forward, “Enough of this. Our Father is expecting answers.”

Raising your eyes to meet hers you replied with a smirk, “Tell Thanos Death is coming for him.”

She scoffed replying, “You cannot kill Thanos, no one can, even with our secrets.”

Once again your eyes turned to Ronan claiming a spot on the foot of your bed, making the mattress shift under his weight saying, “Balaxxus 93,” Over his shoulder you spotted Nebula’s lips parting causing you to snap your fingers sending her off to Morag ahead of you earning stunned looks from her siblings, who both settled against the wall observing the pair of you, especially Ronan until they were called away to speak to Thanos’ messenger allowing the warrior to seal the door and relax once again in only your company.


	3. Chapter 3

Seated on the end of your bed your foot was propped up on the table you moved to the foot of the bed and set the small glass bottle of nail polish you set beside your small traveling nail kit you opened and propped up your left foot to start easing back the cuticles on your toes. After you set the wooden flat tipped stick aside and grabbed the nail polish. A simple turn of the lid later you were easing a thin layer over your toe nails, with a gentle blow from you the layer dried on your last toe in time for you to catch Ronan’s figure appearing in the doorway. Paused there for a moment he took in the sight of your knee pressed to your shoulder sending a spike of his own endorphins at his mind racing at your contorted position.

On his approach another wave went through him from your eyeing his shirtless barefoot and war paint free figure signaling a wave of pride in his knowing you were attracted to him without his armor, walking to your bed as he stated, “Korath has returned from Thanos’ fortress. Apparently neither of them deemed it wise and opted out of choosing to share your message or Nebula’s disappearance. Where did you send her?”

His eyes lowered to look over the swapping of your legs and your working the cuticles back on your other foot before claiming the bottle, “Morag. Hopefully we will find her with a better attitude when we arrive.”

“And if her attitude has not changed?”

“Then transporting her is easily enough managed. I will continue the pattern until she relents.”

With his arms on the table he watched your application and gentle blows over your toes drying the paint, “More war paint?”

You smirked catching his eyes, “No. Just a touch of vanity.” Your lips pursed through a final gentle blow before you shifted your legs when dry to rest your left hand on the table beginning to reshape your nails and brush back the cuticles as he inspected the nail polish bottle.

“Vanity?”

“I am guilty of it at least a little. This along with my makeup is merely for myself, just something to look at and draw a smirk when I’m having a rough time.”

With the opened bottle he eased the extra paint free and moved his free hand to claim yours stirring a smirk on your face as he carefully followed your previous steady strip technique and eased the extra around the edges away with the wooden tool. Working a finger at a time until all ten were covered and he sealed the bottle again asking, “This paint, is it simply for women?”

You shook your head and he eyed the small selection of colors, settling on the pale grey one he passed you before he sat on the bed behind you making you turn as he propped his feet against your curled legs in front of you. “Nice choice. You’re certain you can wear this? I’d hate to cross your warrior traditions.”

Plainly he stated while you reshaped his toenails and brushed back his cuticles on the first foot, “If it pleases you I will wear it.”

You smirked at him, “You shouldn’t do it just to please me.”

His eyes rose to meet yours in time for him to state, “Consider it a marker of our bond in the beginning of trust and friendship.”

“If you’re certain.” Looking down again you stole another glance at his bare chest before you started to add the first strokes of paint in his leaning back to rest against his propped up arms. “Are all Kree bald?”

Flatly as he turned his head to read the title on the stack of books by your bed he replied, “Not all. Males in my line however are.” The soft drying blow from you drew his eyes to you again before he watched you start on his next foot, “Do all the women in your line have hair like yours?”

You shrugged, “As far as I know I am the only member of my line. I was left alone on my home planet expected to fend for myself. Found myself on Earth after that by chance and I remained to watch them grow.”

“You were alone? Was there a war on your planet?”

You shook your head, “No. That is the birth of my race. We were left on planets, followers of our Fathers were entrusted with our protective casks and when it was time for our births all life perished for our first breaths.”

His eyes scanned over your face in his absence of any feelings from you at all in such a harsh entrance to life, “Is that how your kind breed?”

“Hmm?” Your eyes rose to meet his after you blew on the last of his toe nails, “Oh, no. We breed like most races, male/female conjugal relations, no, that was merely our entrance into being. Though not all races are able to bring about a viable child, then again that was just with males of my race, as I said, I am the only female.”

As subtly as he could muster he asked, “Have your kind mixed with Kree?”

You nodded, “We have an entire planet in the nova galaxy housing their descendants. Your race fits the description of the female they used. Though they all have tails somehow.”

“I have cleansed a few planets with creatures of that description.”

“Many living between two black holes?” He shook his head making you smirk, “They let out deafening screeches, hence the cone of silence from the black holes.” His eyes met yours, “They also mixed with a few other races to gain those traits after a few centuries.”

“How is it you had no knowledge of my people?”

“I’ve been on Earth, it seems our playgrounds were on opposite ends of the same universe.”

“Playgrounds. It makes me wonder, you were born on a planet where everyone died-.”

“Ah, Loki focused on this as well.” The Prince’s name inched his brow up wondering your attachment to him as he stole a glance at Loki’s pillow on the bed behind you, “We were formed in our Father’s minds, conscious in some way I can’t verbalize fully, for our childhoods,” to which he nodded, “Slowly our bodies formed after we did, and in our casks they fully, stabilized, preparing for their uses. When that was complete our first task was to break free. Our bodies were fully grown when we left them. Not the most conventional of ways to be born, or reborn.”

He straightened up offering you one of his hands you started prepping, “Impressive. Do you prefer your physical form?”

“Before our bodies we were limited to our Father’s minds, so, yes. How about you, miss your tiny infancy or tricky toddler years or do you prefer the newfound giant figure you cast?”

After a momentary smirk it dropped into something deeper as his mind scoured back to the oldest memories he held. “My Father fell when I was a child, the year before I was submitted to the training academy. I do not prize his passing, but I would wish to see his strength again, or to hear my Mother’s voice, she sang for Kings and Diplomats from galaxies around.”

“When did you lose her?”

“Four years into my training. There was an attack on our outer borders, My Mother was visiting my Uncle on his ship through his leave. My Uncle died but my Mother took a hit to her chest partially slicing through her neck. They managed to save her, but after her surgeries she was unable to speak. 200 years she has been rendered silent.”

Closing the bottle after finishing his second hand you let it dry then you offered him your open hand palm up as you stated, “Think of her home, picture it as fully as you can.”

.

As soon as your hands met you were both transported to the middle of what you would assume to be a living room. On the floor across from a tall Kree woman with silver streaked chestnut hair eyed her Son who stood and crossed the room to her easing his hand across her offered forearm and pressed his head to hers. His eyes closed as hers did the same through a mumbled set of Kree-ish greetings came from Ronan with traded smiles through her Kree touch based mental link with her Son used to speak with him, before he turned his body to face you drawing his Mother’s eyes to you as you stood. In the jumble of their rough language he added, “Jaqiearae Pear.” Followed by his saying in English, “Dignitary Head of Foreign Affairs, Roann, my Mother.”

Their hands broke apart and Ronan watched you accept her greeting shake of your hand before her mind tapped yours sharing in a barely audible whisper draining a good deal of her energy to greet you properly, or what you assumed to be so by Ronan’s descriptions of his people’s approved conduct among strangers.

To which you replied, “It is an honor to meet you. I do hope we aren’t interrupting anything but Ronan mentioned the attack claiming his Uncle’s life.” Her eyes scanned over yours as you missed her assumptions of the clear intentions for a bond with him by calling him simply by his name in front of a stranger, even though the stranger was his Mother of all people. “It may seem a bit of an obvious question, but would you agree to my mending your injuries.” Her eyes darted to her Son’s and he shared more hushed reassurances in their language before she gave you a cautious nod.

Stepping closer to her you eyed the nearly seven foot woman just an inch under her Son watching as your hand rose to gently ease your fingertips around her neck along the scars there. With a clenching of her jaw she drew in a steady deep breath at your stating, “I will try to keep this as painless as possible.” Firmly Ronan held his hands on her shoulders preparing for what he guessed to be the worst, only to watch as your steady breath made your veins darken to a deep purple visible through your skin as her eyes closed through a pained grimace that lasted barely a moment before your hand recoiled as she panted. Her arm wrapped around Ronan’s back to grip his shoulder through her free hand easing over her neck through the near burning sensation fading, a soft whimper left her in her straightening again.

With parted lips Ronan eyed her carefully noting the scars on the left side of her face had also faded to a barely noticeable state through his asking in their language, “Are you in pain?”

Timidly she drew in a breath then glanced at you still facing away from the pair seemingly eyeing your palm, looking back at her Son she whispered, “No.” A grin grew on their faces through their sharing more of the countless bits of information they had wished to trade in the past centuries, not noticing your leaving until Ronan had all but blushed at having brought up your duel.

He wet his lips scanning over the room until he spied you on the balcony overlooking the central city on Hala then caught his Mother’s eye again as she stated, “It appears she is fond of Hala already. Have you been hers long?”

“No. Just today, I stole her from the Avengers. She proved to be quite a rival.”

A smirk spread on Roann’s face, “Did she show you a fine Krougg?” Referring to your interrupted courting duel.

“A servant interrupted it. However I seem to be regaining her favor in remarkable time. It appears the slight did not seem so great for her people as it would for ours.”

Her hand settled on his arm, “I am honored to have met your Keeper before your bond was completed, and for her gift. You have no rival from me.” Easing his smirk out again, “How will you return to your ship?”

“Miss Pear will see to it. We’ve traveled quite a distance already within the blink of an eye.”

She stood and gave her Son a warm farewell then went to rest as he entered the early morning light as their Sun was rising in the sky and stood at your side asking, “Is the view pleasing to you?”

You turned meeting his eye after glancing inside and said, “That was fast.”

He nodded, “Mother has a meeting later. Needed her rest. The view?” His eyes turned to the hovering golden orb on its hourly patrol that had been scanning your image through the databases before scanning his as well. Across the inner circle a computer screen lit up as the Imperial Guards were alerted to Ronan’s presence on their home planet leaving them to wonder how he managed it without his ship as the orb continued its patrols.

You stole another glance, “It is quite pleasing, I don’t believe I’ve seen architecture like this before.”

Looking you over he asked, “Did you need to rest?”

You nodded, “If you’re ready.” Reaching out his hand settled around your shoulder before you were both standing on your bed where you walked to the pillows, turned sat and eased your legs down under the covers while he glanced around curiously wondering if you would wish for him to leave just yet through the golden orb returning to scan the balcony once again after the Kree observing his interaction with you forced it to turn back.

.

Sitting down beside your legs his eyes met yours to say, “I am eternally in your debt.”

You shook your head resting your arms across your chest, “You owe me nothing.”

“You returned my Mother’s voice after centuries of silence. There is a debt.”

“Show me to Thanos when I’ve recovered the orb and we’ll call it even.”

He nodded his head, “I will, on one condition,”

“Hmm?”

Your drooping eye lids parted to land your gaze on him, “Do not do anything foolish.”

“Such as?”

“Dying for one.”

Drowsily you giggled closing your eyes and rolling onto your side, in a sigh you replied, “You have my word, I will not die.” You nuzzled against Loki’s pillow as he sat there looking at you for a few moments until he was staring at your sleeping form once again.

Slowly he made his way back to his room, stopping in the large corridor as Korath blocked his path, every muscle in his body tensed at the stance the half cyborg held to obstruct him from sleep. “Korath.”

In hushed tone after ensuring you had not followed the warrior Korath replied, “I wanted to have a word with you.”

“Speak.”

Korath, “This mortal, I have never seen you bow to another’s will. Kree do not-.”

Harshly Ronan replied, “Do not speak to me of Kree laws!” Quizzically Korath took in the increase in tension in his muscles marking their reaction to his shocking level on nearly instant rage. So uncommon for Ronan this flippant behavior led the half Kree cyborg to assume the most likely of reasons for this. “Your Sister Nebula tarnished Kree law by interrupting our Krougg!”

Korath’s lips parted, “Understood. Is there any task I might handle to alleviate her irritation at the slight?”

“It appears her culture does not weigh it as heavily. However, it is imperative I see to her every need and desire while we are on our path to the planet she has located the orb on.”

“She has uncovered the location so easily?”

Ronan nodded, “There is far more to my Keeper than meets the eye.” With this he walked around Korath who returned to his own bed chambers feeling his fear from Nebula’s being sent off somewhere ease realizing the action was just with her first slight and following belittling taunts after.

.

Rolling his shoulders after his bedroom door had closed behind him Ronan walked to the dip in the floor opening for him. Easily his pants dropped to the floor and were kicked into the clothes basket along the wall before the warrior stepped down into the blood pool he had for a bed. Each step urging him back to your side while he focused on the flow of emotions your dreams drew from you leading him to wonder what was going on it your head stirring such a flurry of challenging emotions. Hour by hour after the first dip under the blackened collection of blood his body switched to its sleeping protective reactions. Breathing no longer became necessary as his body drew energy from the pulsing power core on the ship like the other soaking Kree on the ship.

Sleep however evaded him as another of your dreams linked with the distant Asguardian Prince’s stirring a jealous rage in the large dripping warrior rising out of his tub, not waiting for it to drip off of him completely on his path back to your room. In the darkened room his eyes took in each detail as he assured you were alone and made sure to pull the comforter back over your shoulder stealing a brush of his finger across your cheek. After the lingering pause he tore himself away to return to his waiting blood pool in his wondering as to how such a spike of lust could be eased into such a state of bliss on your own. But once again you had drawn him from the pool leaving him to go there and return again to the rest of the night forcing himself to remain in his pool until the night was through.

.

A deep inhale stirred your eyes open as the strange coppery stain on your new comforter forced you to sit up eyeing the trail of droplets leading to your door. In an absurdly stupid decision you got on your feet and followed the trail towards wherever it led to. Around you a few scattered Kree watched you walk straight into their leader’s bedchamber only to vanish from sight as the door sealed behind you. Around you the dark chamber with a familiar sunken in octagon in the center of the floor carved intricately drew your eyes for a few moments before you turned to eye the distant wall. A few scattered specks of light drew you closer to it only to have you step back as a loud click sounded, within moments a ripple of metal shutters rose higher uncovering the massive window exposing the vast stretch of stars.

An echoing click caused you to turn watching the dip in the floor opening up. Closer to the dip you eyed the blackened liquid that shifted as a head rose from the depths. With your head tilting curiously each ripple of the liquid easing down his massive frame in his stepping out of the pool to turn eyeing the window uncertain of who had opened it. Before he could issue a shout to the insolent servant disturbing him his eyes scanned over you to ask, “Did someone wake you?”

Carefully his eyes trailed your path to his side watching you looking him over in nothing but his blood stained briefs. “No. I did, however find this,” Your finger stretched out to swipe a line of the liquid from his abs to slide between your finger and thumb, “In a trail from my bed to here. What is this?”

Your eyes met his and he stated, “Blood.”

You nodded and he turned walking to another sunken part of the floor along the wall he hit a knot on the wall with his fist sending a wall of water over him once he’d brushed his briefs down allowing the water to wash the blood clean. Another hit later he stepped out of the sunken part on the floor towards the large bowl of sand coming out of the wall through your asking, “Is it a skin thing?” At the bowl he turned to look at you watching you dip your fingers into the draining water pool before you wiped them on your pant leg then met his eyes again, “The blood, is it for your skin?”

“Why would it be for my skin?” In a near hungry gaze he watched as your hand reached out to glide your fingers along his bicep.

“There are cultures believing blood softens the skin. Or allows the soaker to gain the strength of the victims. I’m assuming it’s closer to the second for you.”

A smirk eased onto his face as he proudly stated through his grabbing a fist of sand he smoothed across his chest, “All Kree warriors rest in blood pools.”

Stepping closer your hand moved to his neck tilting his chin, “How do you breathe in it?”

“I don’t.”

Your brow rose, “You just don’t breathe? How?”

While his hand smoothed over his right leg he replied, “Our bodies enter a state of rest, we can cease to breathe if necessary and draw energy from the power cells on our ships.”

“So, hypothetically, if you were trapped under water you could just sleep and be fine or it only works on your ships?”

In a reach to his right he grabbed a folded rag he eased over his lower half before adding the fresh briefs waiting there then moved onto his upper half, “We can hold our breath for an hour at best if necessary while conscious, if asleep we would need the power cells to aid in our stasis.”

Again your fingers smoothed across his freshly dusted arm to ask, “You’re certain it’s not just for the skin. It is surprisingly smooth for a warrior of your reputation.”

“Is that an appealing attribute? Soft skin?”

“Well it certainly is more favorable to being grated against a partner with skin like a pumice stone.”

“You’ve had partners?”

“I was referring to snuggling.”

“Snuggling…”

“Two or more people holding each other.”

“You’ve had more than one partner?”

“Snuggling isn’t the same as sexual intimacy. Kree don’t hold each other?”

“That is left to kin and Keepers.”

“Keepers?”

“Every Kree Warrior hopes to find his Keeper. Through them we find our first peace since battle and gain our Young to carry on our lines.”

“So Keepers are like your Wives then?”

“Wives are property. Keepers bear the weaknesses of our finest Warriors. They are our greatest form of protection. To weaken a Keeper is to cripple a Kree. Keepers are never to be harmed, once bound other races will flee at the sight of a Keeper to avoid the wrath of my kin.” He turned to claim a fresh set of pants for under his armor. Easily he fastened his belt through asking, “Your partners, what protection do they grant you?”

When he faced you again you replied, “First I should say, my race among others require a certain amount of contact-.”

“Contact?”

“Physical contact.” His lips parted, “For centuries I managed it alone with a few well earned hugs from children I’ve watched grow through the years. Since then Prince Loki has humored me with my snuggling.”

“Humored you? He is reluctant to hold you?” The disbelief evident in his voice.

“He pretended to be at first. It is more of him not wishing to show his need for it too.”

“You are his Keeper then?”

“I suppose, though Asguardians have spouses, you wouldn’t guess it but their women are granted the right to have as many spouses as they wish.” That drew Ronan’s eyes back to yours with a recurrence of hope that you could still claim him, “Something Loki tends to tease me on endlessly, choosing another partner for the times we’re apart.”

“He would hand you to another so easily?” His words came out in more of a growl at the notion.

“There is a great deal of,” you let out a sigh, “Well, you have your vengeance on Xandar, and, whatever else. Loki, has his own schemes, that tend to keep him away for long stretches. I imagine he prefers to think of my loneliness, he hates leaving me on my own after my time before earth.”

“You are hoping for another partner?”

The opening of his door brought a smirk onto your face as his door opened revealing Gamora who stated, “There is a message from the Kree Ambassador about, Miss Pear.”

.

Barefoot and shirtless Ronan led you through the ship making sure to walk with his arm just barely touching yours until you were back in the room you awoke in where he motioned his hand for you to sit on his massive throne like chair. Wetting your lips you turned and climbed onto the rough metal seat looking on as he stood with his arms crossed at your right when the screen lit up. The scowling Kree man locked his eyes on you first then over to Ronan at your side before he began speaking in their language, “Ronan, it had come to our attention you had returned to Hala. At first we found that to be impossible, you have never abandoned your post before, but with news of our Dignitary Head of Foreign Affairs’ vocal damage being repaired along with an unidentifiable creature appearing without warning in her home further investigation of this matter was deemed necessary.”

Ronan drew in a breath then replied, “It was brought to my Keeper’s attention the injuries our Dignitary received in battle, a wrong that was easily righted again.”

“There is another matter, this Nova Prime Irani Rael will not stop prattling on about your declaring war on the Xandarians.”

“I did not declare war, I have no right to do so. I claimed I would cleanse them, however, other matters have come to my attention of greater importance.”

“Such as?”

“I am assisting my Keeper in the retrieving of an item stolen from her.”

The Ambassador’s eyes shifted to you then back to Ronan, “We had learned of your being claimed. A great cry spread through our women at the news. A name and species must be added to our records to enforce our shielding laws.”

Before you a laser formed keyboard appeared Ronan switched to the English setting and lowly stated to you in English, “They require your full name and species for the record for our shielding laws.”

Your eyes met his to ask, “Name first?” He nodded and you easily typed out Jaqiearae Pear.”

Then watched as Ronan eased the keyboard away though the Ambassador asking in English, “And your race, Miss Pear?”

“In this tongue we are referred to as Celestials.” His eyes widened as the Kree behind him turned to look at the screen between you and Ronan as Gamora and Korath along the wall did the same. Their hope to gain the knowledge of creatures capable of curing such ailments to capture and breed with theirs now dashed but increased Ronan’s reputation greatly. Even in his unknowing of the name of your race he held still not showing an ounce of shock at all after hearing and witnessing a sliver of what he imagined you and your kind to be capable of.

With a nod the Ambassador replied, “This will be added to our records. I will leave your to your retrieval.” The screen went blank and they all stared at you for a moment before Ronan held out his hand to help you down and guide you back to your room.


	4. Chapter 4

“Celestials have not been witnessed in thousands of years. They were thought to have died out.” Ronan’s voice rang out clearly in the halls as his brows furrowed at your turn to the right when a group of passing guards exited the hall to your room.

Curiously he followed at your side ignoring the boot steps of Gamora and Korath behind you. “I take it that man wasn’t pleased to hear what I was?”

Ronan glanced down at you when you led the way across a rail-less bridge overlooking the levels below down to the main mess hall drawing a soft rumble from your stomach making him assume that was where you were leading them to. Taking the lead his arm nudged you to the right. “Your healing abilities could do wonders for my people. One of our main principles is to capture and cleanse any with traits unworthy of our people and those useful to us are claimed.”

In a glance up at him you asked, “Claimed how?”

“Some are extracted through blood or removal of limbs. Others require more primitive attempts for carrying on in our people.”

“Meaning breeding?” He nodded and you let out a weak giggle, “So I take it had I a great number for my race they would be captured by yours?”

He nodded, “Yes.” His eyes lingered on you watching your smirk grow, “The thought amuses you?”

“No. I am wondering how many races have been stolen by yours to form the ones I have encountered.”

“We haven’t taken a race since the mortals a few thousand years back. The Asguardians seemed to grow irritated with it. We abandoned our studies when the hassle outweighed the progress.”

“Hmm.”

“Hmm?”

You glanced up at him with a soft giggle then shook your head making him look you over, focusing on your curves mainly in an attempt to inspect your breathing. Only to lose his train of thought until your hand on his arm brought his focus back to the present just a few inches from a wall just a foot from the hall he had been leading you to. In a side step to your right he did the same felling a sting at your hand leaving his arm. The open mess hall ahead made your step pause when the sea of blue heads turned to you each sending respectful bows of their head between Kreeish growls of your title as Ronan’s Keeper. Through the room Ronan led you to the end of the line asking, “What did you wish to eat. You may have your fill of anything we can supply.”

In a glance up at him after eyeing the odd long supply of foods you could not identify, “You can pick for me.”

He looked you over then faced forward listing a supply of food before reaching down and claiming your hand to lead you at his side to his table, also claiming one of the silver cups set on the window opening separating you from the food the others accepted their trays through. You accepted the other cup and raised it higher to give it a curious whiff while Korath and Gamora placed their orders and accepted their trays. A table in an alcove atop a couple steps came into view on your left. Extending his arm he guided you up first to claim one of the seats while he accepted the other at your side through a pair of Kree approaching to set plates of tall piles of food in front of you along with a set of spoons.

Looking you over in their step back he asked, “You do not approve of your drink?”

Your head turned to look at him, “It smells like mangoes.” Raising it to your lips you blinked through your sip as other Kree in the mess hall within sight eyed your reaction. In a stoic face you lowered the surprisingly hot mixture tasting nothing like mangoes, more like green beans mixed with honey glazed ham strangely enough. “Hmm. Definitely not mangoes.”

You glanced at him after he had taken a sip of his darker drink choice reeking of melted butter on toast that darkened his teeth coating it in a thin black layer of liquid **, “Roob.”** He named his drink in Kreeish at your curious glance in his cup. “For our warriors.”

“Your teeth.” After a pause you asked, “Does mine change my teeth?”

He smirked, “No. **Gref** does not have those effects. We give it to our Children and Keepers to build their health on our ships.”

You raised a brow, “I am in need of building then?”

He eased his eyes over your face taking in your playful glint in your eyes Gamora and Korath missed in their claiming the table behind you with oddly yellow drinks you were too far from to smell you eyed curiously, “You do not want **Nrog**.” You turned to look at him again, “It is poison to most races. We supply it for only them, to counter the toxins Thanos unleashed in their bodies. Grants them time to remain among us before having to return to him for the antidote.”

Turning again you asked Gamora, “Does Nebula need that?”

Gamora looked to her glass then shook her head, “No. She does not need it. We can survive days without it.”

A snap of your fingers later Nebula dropped heavily with legs crossed jolting her awake to look you over then jump up with dagger drawn until you stated, “You should eat.”

Angrily she scowled at you, “I do not require sustenance for weeks.

“You’re sick. Eat something, drink your medicine.”

At this she growled, “I do not take orders from the likes of you!”

Around her the Kree halted and Ronan lowered his glass only to remain still at your crossed leg moving to rest against his through his growling out in Kreeish, “ **Kneel or fall**.”

Her eyes turned to you, “I am not in need of sustenance, and I will not respect any who show weakness at the suffering of others!”

With a smile you lowered your glass from a sip of the odd liquid, “Your respect has little value for me.” Those words made her lips part and the Kree grow silent as they took in what you had missed as the worst sort of insult to their kind marking her even below the worth of a servant, marking her as a waste of being in their translation. “Life really sucks. I know what you have suffered, and suffer from still. Eat, drink, feel better. When you show me something useful in your book of tricks past being Thanos’ play thing then we can bring up respect again.”

Inhaling sharply she blinked then seemingly had to jerk her body into moving to turn and claim her place in line through the Kree stealing smirking glances at you as Ronan nipped at his lower lip to contain his pleased grin and raised his spoon from the table. In his first scoop your eyes turned to his food as you claimed your own spoon to fill. Curiously you tasted the bland yet scalding hot rice like food, eating it stoically until the next spoonful that was a jolt of spices and somehow freezing cold. Each bite grew more intriguing until you cleared your plate and finished your drink somehow spreading Ronan’s grin at your taking to the food so well and being able to finish the large supply so easily.

Again you were on your feet when two Kree arrived to clear your table. Through the mess hall you felt all eyes on you with pleased smirks on the faces of the dispersing Warriors all returning to their own quarters and posts to either dress or report for duties. Glancing up at him you asked, “What do you have planned for today?”

Curiously he blinked at you trying to pinpoint just what emotions you were feeling. The jumble of pleasure and intrigue washed through him at once, “What did you wish for me to do?”

You smirked up at him, “I don’t wish to disturb your duties. I imagine you’ve a great deal to handle.”

“It can wait.”

Playfully you replied, “No it can’t.” When you reached your door you tapped the knot by the door on the wall opening the door you passed through walking backwards, “You’re a busy man. Don’t mind me, plenty to keep me occupied.”

Curiously he stepped inside with the door closing behind him to follow you into the bathroom where he watched you set your makeup bag on the counter by the sink where you had set up a tall mirror. A small dab of eye primer was added to your pinky finger and smoothed on your upper eye lid before another was applied to the other. “What will you be doing?”

“I have to make a stop in a Korna.” Making his lips part, “Unless you disapprove.”

His eyes lowered to watch you draw out your eye liner and add a sleek line around your upper lid, “I am going with you if you need to go.”

“You’re certain you have the time? I don’t want to take you from your crew if they need you.”

“I am not leaving you alone ever. Especially on Korna.” He shifted to peek in your bag eyeing the eye shadow you chose from after outlining your other eye.

“What’s wrong with Korna, I’ve been there dozens of times.”

“The entire planet is filled with scavengers and vagabonds. Nowhere near worthy of your visit. What business do you have there?”

In a glance at him you let out a weak giggle saying, “I suppose you would only feel comfortable leaving me with your crew then. After all, they are just like you.”

“If that were true I would not be their commander.”

With a smirk you opened the square of pale silver to peach eye shadows with brush in hand, “That isn’t what I meant, and you should leave.” His brow rose but he did not move, watching you smooth three shades above your eye, “Unless you want to go dressed like that.”

Flatly he replied, “I will require my armor. We do not have allies on Korna.”

With a final swipe of your brush you put them away saying, “Marshmallow it is then.”

In your path to your bedroom again he watched as you pulled off your shorts, eyeing the curves the hems of your panties hugged and accentuated so perfectly almost drawing a growl from him in his struggle not to cross the room to you. Your bend over to dig out a pair of jeans and socks only worsening things. In place he stood as you pulled on your socks then bounced into your jeans you added your belt to the loops at the waistband. When you glanced up at him you bent to grab your converse and your flannel shirt.

You crossed the room to him spotting his hungry eyes looking you over then all but smirking openly when your hand planted on his upper arm guiding him to turn towards the door. In a low growl he repeated, “Marshmallow?”

“Your alias, remember? First, you need shoes at least.” Your hand dropped and he hit the knot on the wall by your door leading you out into the hall as you pulled on your flannel. 

In his room you stood by the door pulling on your converse and tied them and stood watching as he grabbed his under shirt and chest plate. The slow rippling of his back in his easing the sleeves of his shirt over his arms and head through the neck hole almost making him freeze at the rush of an almost starving lust coming from you in your inspection of him. The layer dropped over his back and he turned hearing your steps closer to him. Through a broken inhale his eyes watched as you claimed his chest plate and helped him settle it over his torso before he tightened the sides.

In a searching gaze over your face you grabbed his socks he’d set aside and held them between you signaling his hand to rise and claim them in his wonder at your now muddled blur of emotions poorly hiding under the remaining cloud of lust, making sure to glide his fingers against yours in claiming the pair he pulled on before bending to add his boots. 

Upright again he watched your amused glint in your eyes as his appearance shifted back to the jean and smurf t shirt wearing doppelganger with scruff and shaggy hair, “For the record, I despise this disguise.”

Your smile and soft giggle came with your saying, “Stop being so cute. You know you enjoy hiding.” Before he could say anything you were both transported in the center of a bustling city packed with grime coated dilapidated towers around you on a packed street full of passing sneers and discerning glares at you and Ronan. Firmly his hand claimed yours in your guiding him through the street as a voice shouted out in Nian, **“How about you make me?!”**

His grip tightened with each block you passed as creature after creature eyed you both in disappointment at the lack of any valuables to steal. In a lean down he growled close to your ear almost dropping himself to his knees at the allured response it drew in you, “Next time-.”

At once his voice broke off and his eyes dropped hungrily to your lips just inches from his, “Few more minutes then we can get back to your ship. Next time will be simpler.”

Curiously he eyed your figure in your turn to guide him around the corner and down the next alley where he let out another growl in your entering the first beaded string coated doorway on your left. Under furrowed brows he eyed the seedy shop around you with row after row of wooden slat formed benches packed with obscure items and weapons. A single glance at you a Dark Elf left the shop at the sight of you mumbling, “I am out of here.” Grabbing his small honking winged lizard from the ground beside him he mumbled to, “We have a schedule to keep.”

On his path out however he paused smirking at the small twig like object you drew from your pocket and offered to the lizard that gleefully ate it while his owner thanked you for the lizard’s favorite treat on his birthday, to which you answered, “Of course I remembered his favorite!”

Quietly the Elf left and you looked back to the displays as Ronan lowly asked, “Friend of yours?”

You glanced up at him, “The Cropiscaner yes. Never met the Elf before. They demand the treat each year.”

“How exactly do you befriend a Cropiscaner? They are notorious for attacking villages. Full herds have been known to send full planets into collapse.”

You nodded, “Picked him up on Troufless before it exploded. Thor really didn’t trust him, but if you had to choose between an exploding planet or a ship with creatures that could kill you even the worst of the worst could agree to get along.”

He nodded, “True.” In another scanning look over you he asked, “How close to the worst of the worst would you consider Kree to be?”

With a giggle you peered up at him catching his darkening eyes lowering to your lips again, “I would never consider the Kree to be the worst, at anything.”

Your answer drawing a smirk across his lips in your turn and step away to continue your browsing in a determined step and lean forward he growled lowly beside your ear. “Flirtation does not excuse my desire,” his eyes traveled over your neck at the row of bumps rising over your skin through the next wave of your emotions coursed through his body and burned in his veins, “For an answer.”

Just as soon as he’d finished his sentence you turned easing your lips just barely a breath from his urging a clear low growling exhale from him in his attempt to announce his sheer invitation for any contact from you. “Just what are you accusing me of?” His eyes lowered to your lips in your step back to give his hand a tug after your finger tapping just under his chin in what you missed as an all but promised contact later making him smirk again after a nip at his lip.

Three benches later he peered over your shoulder stealing a teasing brush of his free hand’s fingers along the strip of skin on your hip under your shirts when you reached for an crudely carved statue barely a few inches long. “What is that?”

You giggled softly saying, “From Morag. Part of my nursery.” He nodded and followed you to the counter where the tentacle faced man eyed the statue then you both then smirked at the bag of peppermints you drew from your enchanted pouch in your pocket and passed it to him as he handed you the statue in a small velvet pouch he slid it into.

With traded smirks you pocketed your goods and you led the shielded warrior through the alley again as he asked, “Was that all you needed?”

“There is another planet nearby if you don’t mind another stop.”

He shook his head, “Not at all. Wherever you need to go I will escort you.”

Locking your eyes with his purple glowing pair you asked, “How busy are your days if you can just spend all day following me around.” Unable to help it his smirk deepened as you added, “I just picture you lounging about between chosen destinations now with your men listening to your tales of Kree Warriors of old.”

.

A pop later the world changed to a desert coated planet you landed on the outskirt of a small town in the center of nowhere with small fabric tents across from a stone formed city in the distance. Under foot the sand shifted awkwardly as Ronan walked beside you through the nothingness. “Where are we going?”

“See that arrow shaped column ahead?” He nodded, “Just past that.”

“And what are we searching for?” Adjusting his hand to fit more around yours after your unsteady foot sliding off a tipping rock making you bump into his side. “Another statue?”

“Three actually.”

“What use could that statue be?”

“Alone, not much to the unknowing eye.”

“To you?”

You let out a weak giggle, “My Father left me gifts to find, should I need them. But with Thanos running about it’s best I gather them first before he tries to steal any of them again.”

Ronan, “Thanos tried to steal one of your statues?”

You shook you head, “No, my tesseract.” Ronan’s lips parted.

“The tesseract is yours?”

You nodded then glanced up at him, “Technically the case is Asguardian but what it is holding, powering the cube is mine.”

“I thought Loki stole the tesseract?”

“We came to an agreement.”

“Your marriage.”

You let out a stunned giggle drawing his eyes from the blowing sand obstructing the path ahead to you, “No. A ride home to safety in exchange for tabs on Thanos.”

Ronan, “You were Loki’s puppet master then.”

You smirked up at him, “We prefer ally. Heard him in passing when Frigga sent out word he fell from the Bifrost. She guaranteed the safety of my tesseract, I wasn’t about to let her Son vanish into the vacuum of space. Thanos found him, but not until after he heard my whisper in his ear of his Mother’s promise.”

Ronan, “How did marriage come about then?”

“He has been declared dead a couple times. Needed a place to hide. Nowhere near as obstinate as his Brother would lead others to assume.” In another glance up at Ronan you smirked, “Just like you. So very agreeable for a conqueror of worlds. A welcome change, usually I tend to get trapped with others like Nebula.”

“I never meant for you to be harmed.”

You smirked again, “Only a simple hostage trade right?”

Another squeeze came around your hand, “You are not my hostage.”

In a giggle you replied, “Oh yes. You only have no intention of letting me out of your sight ever again, right?”

“It is only fitting. Healing my Mother has aided my people in ways you cannot grasp just yet. I would be foolish to repay that by leaving you unprotected.”

In a glance up at him you smirked, “Who says I’m not the one protecting you for something, hmm?” As you looked forward his lips parted and the thought raced through his mind running through the validity of your suggestion, leaving him to wonder just what it could be and how you letting him take you could fit into a plan to protect him.

.

Nearly an hour later your sneaker hit a thick rock in your hop up out of the sand into the rocky climb ahead leading to the arrow shaped rock. Tenderly his fingers brushed along your palm releasing your hands to aid in your climbing, he hopped up behind you and wet his lips as he pulled himself up over another large boulder after you. Around a winding jagged path you trekked and walked until he watched you kneel at the base of the rock feature. At the base you shifted a sand covered chunk of amber and dug out a trio of velvet wrapped statues you pocketed with the other in your enchanted pouch after Ronan gave the trio a curious once over. “They look like game pieces.”

With a smirk at him you said, “In a way they are.” The amber was buried again and you climbed down after your glance up at the yellow sky as the green sun rose to claim the sinking blue sun’s position summoning a wall of dust on the horizon. Looking towards the stone city you stated, “We’ll have to stay the night.” He eyed the same wall of dust in the start of your climb as you stated, “The green sun only makes the air thinner, I zap us out of here it’ll ignite.”

He nodded, “I take it you have allies here as well for shelter?”

“One. But I do have some parsnip seeds.” He looked at you when you jumped down to the sand you sunk in to your ankles. He jumped down beside you and shook each foot free just as you did in your path to the city in the distance.

“Is this how you travel? Barter your way through the universe?”

You giggled again, “Well not all of us have a fleet of blue warriors willing to tear through planets at our beck and call as you do.”

“You do now.”

With another giggle you replied, “Do not promise me that.”

“It is true.”

You smirked up at him, “You should probably read through my list of enemies before you go promising me that. I doubt you would after giving it a read. More than a few of your allies I imagine.”

Ronan’s chin tilted and his eyes fell to your hand again, “Kree do not collect allies.”

His eyes looked you over as you said, “Well consider yourself the exception.”

He smirked as he stated, “I did not collect you.”

You nodded, “Nope you just kidnap yours.” Giggling again as your eyes met then broke apart as you faced the city again.

.

Nearly halfway the temperature dropped as you passed through what felt to be a icy barrier marking the shift from sand to brittle broken grey earth surrounded by jagged half buried stones. Across a frozen lake you crossed with your hand locked in Ronan’s holding him steady on the climb up onto the broken bridge to enter the city just as a blast of frigid icy air blew straight at you. In a shift closer to you Ronan asked, “Are you cold?”

You shook your head, “Are you?”

“My people train to withstand great climate shifts.”

In a giggle as the wind picked up you replied, “So that’s a yes, you’re just too stubborn to admit it.” Making him smirk at your back as you led the way through the city.

Winding streets later past the surprisingly hundreds of scantily clad species between the bundled rarities of visitors eyed you both curiously as the only humanoids in sight until Ronan paused watching your fist raise and crash loudly into the metal door at the base of a jagged tower wall with a growing sheet of ice forming on it. Roughly a voice in a tongue he did not recognize called out, **“Go away!”**

Harshly you shouted back over the growing wind, **“Naq, you will open this door!”**

**“No vacancy!”**

**“Don’t make me come over there myself! I will break your door down!”**

A shuffling was heard through the metal, **“No room!”**

You nodded, **“More Parsnip seeds for myself then!”**

At that a hidden slot on the door opened revealing twelve eyes on the end of shifting stalks appeared peering at you both as the voice called back, **“There is only one bed.”**

**“Open the door.”**

The slot was shut and the door was cracked signaling the crowds around you to halt and dart towards the door, only to fall at the cracks in the walls from above opened revealing a set of rotating barrels on a gun shooting out spikes at each that dared enter but you and Ronan. The floating orb of eyes coiled up behind the door you and Ronan slammed then bolted shut again behind you. The warmly lit room grew when you turned to face the expanding orb that turned from a sickly grey to its dark green shade in the warmth again.

You dug in your pocket for the seeds half of the eyes scanned over until you passed the small vial into the tentacle extended for it after it stopped in front of the doorway to the room you were offered. Curiously Ronan looked it over as the gleefully popping orb floated to his greenhouse down the hall to plant three of the seeds and save the rest for later. As you sat at the foot of the bed Ronan lit the fire in the room before moving to close the door leaving you alone again finally then turned to sit beside you to remove his boots.

Before he could say anything he turned his head seeing the purple veins showing through your skin under the flannel shirt you set aside then stood. In a deep growl he stated, “You’re injured!”

You glanced back at him, “No. It’s, hard to explain. It’s an effect from the pieces.”

“They’re harming you?”

“No. I’m shielding their power until we return to your ship.” You moved to the water basin in the wall fed from a small fountain feeding through to the wall into the greenhouse next door. Gingerly you smoothed the warm water over your hands and the back of your neck as Ronan turned to look back at the bed he eyed then laid in the center of on his right side facing the side you had slept on the night before. In his own struggle to remain conscious in hopes of making good on your promised affection from earlier his body settled fully clothed under the covers facing away from the door. All at once darkness dropped on the city as the reinforcing shields on the tower rose through the shouts of the creatures outside bursting into panicked rages for shelter from the freezing rain and formerly hidden beasts now diving for them.

Your eyes shut trying to block out the noise in your mind for a few moments until the near purring exhales from the shielded Kree brought a smirk to your lips. On the bed you sat trying to grip the blanket only to find it tucked under the back of the warrior hoarding the blankets towards his front. Under your breath you mumbled, “Of course you’re a blanket hog.” You sighed continuing, “What am I supposed to when you’re purring like that, nudge you and say please wake up?” You sighed then flinched at the loud crash sounding from outside before you hopped over Ronan. You brushed down the blankets there and laying in the space he had left there and eased them up over your shoulder when you laid on your side facing away from him.

Through the roaring storm and brutal battle outside your eyes closed as you focused on the purring of the giant behind you. Purring that grew closer the deeper you sank into your dreams as his body folded around yours in a search for the warmth coming from you. Arms gripped you tightly as your legs tangled and his face buried in the back of your neck with your loose ponytail draped around the top of his head. 

Firmly he held you until the noise outside ceased at once urging the warrior’s eyes open, a silent mental inspection of his surroundings later his tensing body eased at your soft grumble. A struggling shift later your hips were eased into a more comfortable yet awkward looking position as your legs wove more between his signaling his arms to tighten holding you in place while his head pressed more against yours hoping to hold this for as long as he could.

Each moment more precious to him than the last, memorizing every inch of your body pressed against his, even in this form he clung to your using his body as a shield in your sleep while you burrowed deeper under his large frame making his smile grow through his eyes shutting again. Alone in this silent tundra half to this strange planet fire rippled through his skin as he could feel the contact sealing his bond with his Keeper. True this was normally done in fewer layers but for now this would do, a brush of your hand on his cheek or even a pressing of your lips to his cheek was what he assumed to have earned and yet he’d been granted this marker. An embrace left to bonds firmer than what he’d assumed to have earned before a year had passed.

Through the door soft music played in discoordinate notes that your host popped along to contently drawing a deeper breath from you making Ronan grip you tighter in hopes of holding you in place just a few moments longer. A few moments later however his body shifted to rise at yours shifting under him. A pained grunt later he froze eyeing you with hand planted on the hard mattress asking, “Your hand, right where it is could you press there on my back.”

He wet his lips timidly moving his hand from the rough sheet to your bare back under your brushed up shirt, “Here?”

Your head nodded, “Right there.”

Gradually he added pressure until he heard a clear pop followed by a pleased grumble from you. Slowly his hand shifted higher on your back, following the tension in your muscles that were firmly massaged in his rise to straddle your hips as he saw your body relaxing more at his touch, “Was my weight too much for you?”

You shook your head, “No.” another pleased sigh left you at his other hand moving higher on your back over its twin. “You aren’t nearly as heavy as you imagine yourself.”

“Any other stops?”

A clang through the door made his hands pull back as he straightened up moving his hands to his thighs to look at the door with curiously furrowed brows. “Should be clear to head back. Just have to say bye to the Brucey first though. Just lounging today I think.”

He smirked and peered down at you when you wiggled onto your back under him brushing your hair from your face, “Brucey?”

As he eased back off you to the foot of the bed he watched your rise to fix your hair and shirt to cover your bra before you both added your shoes. With the bed made you added your flannel again and led the way out to the kitchen where the orb eyed you both and grumbled to you in that same language from the night before, passing you both a thin tortilla each coated with orange jam you thanked him for then floated back to his greenhouse. Warmly Ronan’s hand rested on your side and you popped back to your room in his ship where you shifted him back to his normal form then moved to hop on the bed. On your knees you rested then twisted and plopped onto your back through his eyes looking you over.

Through your door the noise grew as your eyes closed again making his brows furrow and sent him into the hall making the noise slowly die down as news of your return spread. Quickly Ronan settled the matters requiring him then returned to find you still asleep, with a determined sigh he turned to leave, straight for the mess hall he went and returned with a floating tray behind him coated in food and drinks. The shift of your mattress stirred your eyes open earning a smile from you while his hand moved to ease back the front of your flannel eyeing your shoulder ensuring your veins had all turned back from their former purple state. “I brought food. Have you gotten enough rest?”

You nodded and sat up brushing your hair from your face, “Yes. Were there problems with me taking you for so long?”

Ronan shook his head, “No, just a few squabbles. Nebula has been trying to gain trust again.”

Your brow rose, “Gain it how, exactly?”

Ronan chuckled shifting your servings closer to you on the tray now resting on the legs he pulled out from under the tray to cover both your laps as he faced you with his own legs crossed in front of him. “Series of duels and challenges, as per Kree tradition. Though she hasn’t gained much favor in our absence, it tends to work with the accuser in sight.”

With a smirk and playfully furrowed brows you asked him, “Did you just refer to yourself in the third person?”

His eyes rose and he replied, “Oh. No. In this instance you would be the accuser.”

“And just how are duels supposed to gain my trust?”

“They are meant to prove she is willing and able to serve you no matter the risk.”

“Hmm.”

Filling his spoon again he locked his eyes with yours as a smirk eased onto his face, “Hmm?”


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Again made up a few names for alien races.

Again Ronan was taken from your side leaving him irritated towards what scheme Nebula had triggered this time. Though upon further inspection he eyed the oncoming Lreng Ship furrowing his brows as the Kree warriors in the command room readying behind their stations for his orders as the ship split into seven in their attempt to take on a mighty Kree vessel. In your room still laying back on your bed your eyes left the book you were reading in the sharp tilt of the ship waking you sigh as the inner walls of your room shifted rotating to remain upright as did the other rooms with any life forms inside of them. Shaking your head you rolled onto your stomach focusing on your book again for the hour long skirmish that grew when the small fleet of Lreng ships had come to join their fallen kin in their quest for victory against their foolishly chosen target. The battle ended with the last page of your book and the ship stabilized again freeing you to set the book aside and ease out of bed, across the room and into the hall.

Right as the door to the command room opened Ronan’s darkened eyes fell onto you. First the thrill of his victory had led to his imagined reactions to your learning of their clear victory and then the actual surge of lust coursing through his body when your eyes scanned over him in his place on his command chair. Whether it be from his victorious grin or from hearing of the battle from his men there was something about seeing him here that drew that response from you that you were trying to mask. Crossing the room his eyes sank to your hands seeing the two glasses there instantly urging his men to avert their gaze to hide their knowing grins at what they took as the possible first step to you ordering Ronan back to your room for breeding in the wake of his proof of his superior mastering of the skirmish.

Firmly his hand folded around your offered cup brushing his fingers along yours to do so, his eyes lowered to the familiar mixture making you state, “Glass of **Roob**.” The hopes of his men and him dashed at the choice of drink not having more of a bite to it until you stated, “I would have ordered something stronger, but the cooks only speak Kreeish.”

With a grin he raised his glass as you raised your glass of **Gref** for a sip, “Thank you.”

“You heard of our victory?”

“Well when my room stopped spinning I did notice the ship seemed to still be intact and filled with what I take as cheers, though again, Kreeish.” He nodded, “Well done by the way.”

In a lick of his lips he leaned forward asking with a hint of a growl in his voice hoping to coerce some more intimate attention from you asking, “Any more locations you require?”

Your conversation ended when the door opened revealing Korath, Gamora and Nebula, the latter who stated, “Thanos is calling for you Ronan.”

A grin eased across your lips as Nebula walked to his side then caught your eye asking, “Your message on death?”

Ronan smirked as you claimed his glass repeating your former message to him, “Death is coming.” She nodded and your eyes turned to Ronan stating, “If he asks, tell him it’s on Morag.” A glint of something flashed in his eyes as you stepped back while Gamora and Korath stood where you had been, taking another sip of your drink you watched their eyes glaze over to a silver as they were transferred mentally to the floating rock Thanos’ throne was hovering on.

.

“You call me boy?!” Ronan’s growl echoed out into the nothingness behind Thanos in his stroll over to the Kree Warrior, who felt your mild meld with his completely after his killing the henchman at Thanos’ side formerly. Before Thanos could say anything Nebula stated plainly, “We received a message on the ship.” His eyes shifted to her, “It simply stated, ‘Tell Thanos Death is coming’.”

Whatever they had expected was wrong at the pure fear flooding into the purple giant’s eyes in his stagger backwards for five steps before he turned shouting out to the now grinning Kree Warrior as Thanos stated, “Your ship has been compromised. You are freed from our contract.”

Flatly Ronan replied, “I was tasked to find this orb and find it I shall. Morag is not far after all.” The four of them felt Thanos turning to them in shock repeating, “Morag?!” With the blink of an eye they were back on the ship looking over at you and your giddy giggle offering Ronan his drink again.

In a glance at Nebula you bounced on your toes stating, “Well worth the message.”

A grin eased on her face at your pleasure at her following your task granting her some ground in the matter of gaining your respect again. Through another sip of your drink you locked eyes with Ronan, who asked, “I take it we are headed to Morag?”

You nodded, “Yes, and we can make a stop at Asgard along the way.” In a turn to leave the room you heard Ronan shift in hopes of following you only to settle again at the Kreeish Ambassador’s call. That call lasted hours, long enough for him to find you standing in the doorway of the mess hall eyeing the new array of food from afar that you were unable to name. Gamora beside you halted eyeing your stare and asked, “Is something wrong?”

“I have no idea what any of that food is.”

A grin eased onto her lips in her glance back seeing Ronan in his approach, turning her head she continued on into the line with you after her at Ronan’s hand guiding you closer. The new spread of food was acquired and eaten before a final round of checks were left on Ronan’s to do list as you went to get more sleep. Leaving your jeans and sneakers aside you eased into your bed and closed your eyes and sank into the mattress hoping to fall asleep soon over the noise of the Kree passing by your door.

.

Alone after stripping to another pair of sleeping pants Ronan sighed and turned away from his blood pit for his path to your room, you had again promised some form of intimacy with him and if you were in bed he hoped to take advantage of a chance to hold you again. A tap on the knot along the wall opened your door letting in a stream of light that fell on your bed. Across the room he walked and stopped beside your bed wondering at the muddled emotions he was feeling from you only to snap his eyes up to your face again when you mumbled, “Are you just going to stand there all night? Or is this one of those confirming I haven’t snuck away moments?”

Flatly he replied, “I do not understand your question.”

With a sigh you shifted onto your back peering up at his shadow encased figure, “If you are going to check on me in the night you might as well stay here.”

His eyes moved over the bed and he asked, “Where should I sleep?”

“Where would you like to sleep?” His silence at your question and the great number of locations and positions to choose from made you sit up and reach out blindly finding his wrist and giving it a tug to the bed to sit in the spot where you brushed the covers back for him. “Just get in bed or it’ll be morning before you decide.”

The mattress sank as he sat on the bed and eased his legs under the covers swallowing dryly as he pulled the covers up over his lap, a turn of his head later he watched you settle onto your back covering yourself again. A few moments he simply sat there taking in your peaceful features, at the drain of his energy from the battle earlier he sunk back onto his back then glanced at you when you said, “Did you know you purr in your sleep?”

“I do not purr. Our bodies resonate at a deep frequency when we sleep.”

“Mhmm.” He raised a brow and rolled onto his side, “Kind of like purring.”

A sharp exhale later his arm extended and he pulled you closer to his chest leaving his arm across your middle settling his head on the pillow above your shoulder repeating, “I do not purr.” Making you giggle softly shifting your left leg to ease over his opening his eyes as it tugged his right between yours making his heart beat spike at the new tangled position. Again his eyes shut and he eased his arm under your back resting it around your side until his hand timidly stretched out against your bare upper thigh just below your hip while his other hand stretched up under your brushed up tank top.

Biting your lip you closed your eyes again trying not to laugh as the giant snuggle buddy silently claiming what possessive hold he could manage over you in his sleep started to purr contently in his deep slumber. Sleep eventually found you and it was not too surprisingly filled with dreams of you on a space ship filled with giant blue cats taking over each planet collecting the boxes they felt were so rightfully theirs. Morning came with your waking to his hand shifting from your stomach along your thigh in a slow steady inspecting grip feeling for himself the sturdy muscles your slender form dwarfed by his held. The response to his touch hit him at once urging him to shift his head in claiming a kiss from you, an alarm sounded however jolting his head towards the door, an irritated sigh left him as he shifted onto his back and sat up.

His head turned back to you as you sighed through your roll onto your side facing him, “Go give ‘em hell Ro.” A smirk eased onto his face through his rise and chuckle taking the walk to the door adjusting the pulsing muscle bearing his obvious response to feeling your clear welcoming response to his touch.

“I will have your breakfast sent in.”

Fully dressed after a stop in his room he entered his command room eyeing his chair while the memory of your response to it leaving him wondering just what was so appealing of his chair, at least until the thought occurred it was him inside the chair that you found appealing. Through him a surge of pride washed over him easing a smirk onto his lips at the thought of his Keeper finding his strength and place as a commander of a Kree war vessel alluring. Settled back into his seat he faced the screen as the message they had received played again.

.

Breakfast did come and after another heated dream trip with Loki your eyes opened to the mattress shifting again. A floating tray held your breakfast between you and Ronan, each bit you caught his darkened gaze traveling lower to your legs hungrily taking in you every curve until Korath arrived stating in the doorway, “Ronan, we have arrived at the edge of Asguardian borders.” A giggle from you signaled his departure when he spotted your bare legs swinging to the end of the bed from behind Ronan’s large frame.

Onto your feet you hopped and claimed your jeans again hopping into them a leg at a time then went into the bath to touch up your makeup with Ronan right behind you. Peering into the mirror you asked him, “How did your message go?”

Partially distracted by your adding more lip stain to your lips after brushing your teeth he answered, “A woman named Sif advised me to move out of this location.”

You nodded, “Let me guess you responded with a ‘you move’?” A grin eased onto your lips making his brow rise.

“When you and I land on the surface the ship will shift twelve clicks out of reach of their towers.”

You nodded and then eased your hand along his middle lowering his gaze to follow it as you moved past him to add your sneakers. Fully dressed you turned to find him directly behind you holding up your flannel for you with an all together puzzling expression on his face. Easing the flannel on your mind linked with the bifrost and you zapped the both of you through it and guided Ronan down the golden steps passing Heimdall, who bowed his head stating, “Princess Jaqiearae.”

In a turn you grinned at him saying, “Easy there on the Princess part Heimdall.”

He chuckled lowly asking, “Or should I say Queen?” You raised a brow, “You and I both know that is not Odin on the throne.”

“That obvious?”

He chuckled strolling with you to the entrance, “Have you read the play he has our troupe rehearsing?”

You rolled your eyes, “He actually gave them that?”

He nodded then asked, “Any sings of our Odin?”

You shook your head, “Wherever he is he does not want me to find him.”

A grin eased across his lips and he glanced at Ronan watching your conversation intently, “Either way, fate will reveal itself to us in time.”

You nodded and guided your warrior across the rainbow bridge and tapped his arm with yours, “This should not take long.”

With a soft gaze he turned his head to you, “Take all the time you require.”

Gently his hand folded around yours as you neared the end of the bridge and began to pass through the city drawing the eye and head bows of each Asguardian along the way until you finally stood in front of the throne. There Loki posing as Odin rose making Sif roll her eyes after referring to him as his pretend persona. She stole a second glance at Ronan, who refused to meet her eye, a typical behavior of a kept Kree, and keep hold of your hand in her exiting the room. At the base of the stairs you peered up at Loki saying, “They know it’s you.”

A sigh came from him dropping the illusion, “I know, it is so tiring pretending to be so stubborn and slow minded to change. I am thinking of dropping the illusion.”

“The play really negates the need for it, Odin would not sanction that emotional of a personal tale.”

Loki chuckled, “True, Dearest.” Leaning in he cupped your cheek claiming a kiss then turned his head to Ronan and nodded his head respectfully, “Ronan, you have been taking good care of your Keeper I see.”

Ronan nodded, “I will ensure there is no want for anything.”

Loki grinned then turned his eyes to you motioning to his side, “Shall we?” You nodded and joined him eyeing his fur lined cape before turning your attention to the path ahead, “I see Heimdall did not give you too much trouble for tapping into the bifrost.”

You giggled responding, “Heimdall loves me, he could never give me trouble.”

Loki peered over your head at Ronan catching his glance at you in response to your comment on Heimdall, “Figure of speech.”

Ronan nodded assured it was just the pair of them claiming any portion of your affections then said, “Why would he not hold affection for his Queen. If the Kree had such a leader she would hold our affections as well.”

Loki nodded again, “I do not doubt that.” Guiding you through the double doors down into the store room of Odin’s treasures from battle where he grinned lifting his former scepter he flipped and offered to you handle first, “Your scepter, my Love.” You giggled and eased it into an enchanted holster tucked in your belt then continued on to the tesseract that Loki gladly raised and set in your palm and watched the seams in it glow. A snap was heard as the circles and odd corner pieces separated revealing a game piece that landed in your palm before the tesseract case sealed again allowing Loki to set it back down asking, “Morag next?”

“Yes.”

Loki chuckled, “What I wouldn’t give to see the fear in his eyes giving him your message.” He paused seeing Ronan’s smirk in the corner of his eye then he turned guiding you back out again, “Please do tell me when you run into the Nifiri again, I have a new pair of daggers that could use some dulling.” Making you giggle then accept his next kiss before he met Ronan’s eye saying, “Enjoy your hunting, my first set of travels with Jaqi here were, life changing, to say the least.” He turned to leave after another loving glance at you and you popped back to the ship again in the command center.

Around you the Kree eased seeing the successful trip freeing their commander back again making them turn for the long flight towards Morag while Ronan eyed Korath, Nebula and Gamora on their approach. The three of them eager to see how you would handle whoever Thanos sent ahead of them. A snap of your fingers later you were on the rocky surface of Morag where Nebula eyed it curiously before stating, “This is where you sent me.”

You nodded, “Yes.”

Korath tilted his head then asked, “Why would anyone choose to live here?”

With a grin you replied, “You should have seen it back in its prime.”

Korath looked at you asking, “You lived here?”

You grinned at him, “Welcome to my nursery.” You guided them around a set of rough rocks and towards the temple ahead.

Gamora, “Nursery? I heard the planet was eviscerated in a global heat wave.”

You giggled then stated, “That heat wave was my birth.” The trio glanced at you as you giggled again passing through the doorway ignoring the distant sound of ships landing on the surface drawing the eye of Ronan and Korath making them draw their weapons.

Gamora eyed them as Nebula drew her dagger stating, “Ships.”

You nodded hopping up a set of steps, “Mhmm.”

Nebula joined the others at the door while you walked around the alter through to the hallway behind it to the end of the hall humming to yourself a song the attendants used to sing when they cleaned the case your body was held in. A few secret dials were turned with a finger in a rhythmic tapping pattern along to the tune and a secret hatch opened revealing the orb. It fit perfectly in your hand at gave off a faint purple glow as you closed the hatch and turned to spot a massive Chitauri in front of you tilting its head in a low growl making you grin. “I was hoping he’d send you.”

Inhaling sharply you darted towards the wall swiping your hand between you and the looming figures now gasping for air as their veins flashed a bright purple in their fall to their knees. Against the wall your foot fell allowing you to leap past the group now falling lifeless to the ground as you absorbed their life forces leaving them withering to dust. Back into the main hall you slid to a stop spotting Ronan at the other end of the hall with an analyzing gaze trying to find the best path to you. His processing was not needed as you darted through the sea of Chitauri pouring into the hall trying to take you all. Each move was carefully planned avoiding their chances on claiming the orb from you between your precise blows and stabs from a hidden dagger Loki had slipped you. Blow by blow the Chitauri fell but did not wane in numbers, still pouring into the hall.

Wetting your lips you said, “Ro, pick a place.” His eyes darted to you when you took the head off another one then ducked behind Korath’s back, “Anywhere.” A split from the orb was covered by the sounds of battle, and you tilted your head back allowing the glowing orb into your mouth then you snapped the orb together again and hurled it into the distance.

Ronan watched their heads turn and his hand landed on your hip saying, “Now” as soon as he spotted their heads all turn. One of them raised the orb in a successful cheer and your group looked to you when their eyes and veins glowed purple in their drop to their knees triggering a sea of ash stemming back to their disintegrating ships in your steady inhale powering your next zap away.

.

In the center of another planet you turned in a half circle eyeing the bustling courtyard of the planet you landed on. Turning your head you peered up at Ronan in his shielded form at his mental request for you to do so when he sent you here. Beside him after looking his commander over Korath asked, “Xandar?”

You softly giggled brushing your hair behind your ear ignoring the curious stares of passing people while Ronan lowly asked you, “You threw them the orb?” His question of you sacrificing the goal of your trip was answered as your lips parted for a full toothed smile exposing a faint purple glow behind your teeth bringing a smirk to his lips that dropped at the outcry of, “You!”

Across the courtyard you spotted the group of Nifiri after you absorbed the energy of the piece in your body, then said, “We have to go.”

Ronan glanced at you then darted after you when your hand locked on his with the trio behind you as the Nifiri drew weapons and started firing through the crowds at you. Behind a statue you darted away leading them through a series of turns until you slammed into a leather clad stranger and his blue mowhawked friend and rolled across the cobbled path. The duo stared at you waiting for an apology until the first of the shots flew above your heads, on his stomach the blue man asked, “Friends of yours?”

Meeting his eye, softly you mumbled, “Not exactly. Sorry” then darted to the next hall with the confused pair after you.

In the courtyard you were racing to as the Xandarians sent out their drones to capture the Nifiri, Rocket tapped his finger on the screen strapped to his arm as the tree creature beside him saying, “I am Groot.”

Rocket lowly replied, “Liar! All I know is when we get this payday bitch better have my money! No more IOU’s!”

In a series of tunnels and coves you paused then you motioned to hide sending you all off in pairs, with Ronan still gripping your hand as you eyed the small dip behind a pillar and mumbled, “Hold me up.”

His head turned to you seeing your leap up onto the wall turning to face Ronan, who you tugged closer to you, still seeing he’d stick out you folded your arms around his neck planting your lips on his. The contact instantly making him fold around you fully melting up against the wall out of sight of the passing crowd of Nifiri. Hungrily his lips worked against yours savoring the scorching wave of passion coursing through him through his lips meeting yours for a last lingering moment. In the silence of the hall he eased you down and stepped back catching sight of the others exiting their hiding places.

Wetting his lips the man in leather motioned his hands at his sides asking, “Any explanation?”

“It’s not really important.”

He raised a brow, “Not important? We just had to run for our lives cuz you and,” he looked Ronan up and down saying, “Papa Smurf here pissed off those guys.”

Ronan glared at him saying, “I am not called Papa Smurf!”

The man responded with, “I’m sorry, would you prefer Big Papa?”

Ronan’s lips parted only to shut as the blue man swatted his friend’s arm saying with a grin to you, “My apologies for my son here.”

The man rolled his eyes, “You are not my father.”

You giggled mumbling, “They are so your child.”

Making the man scoff at you while his father said, “See, he’s got my eyes.”

He scoffed again, “We are not related!”

His father rolled his eyes offering you his hand, “Yondu Utanda, and this is my boy Peter Quill.”

Peter, “I am not your son!”

You giggled again shaking his hand, “Jaqi Pear,” you nodded your head to each in your group, “Marshmallow, Korath, Gamora and Nebula.”

Peter grinned up at Ronan repeating, “Marshmallow?”

Ronan growled leaning in with hammer raised making him step back, “Only my Keeper calls me that.”

Yondu mouthed the word Keeper then turned to you when you tugged Ronan back to your side by your locked hands saying, “We should go.” The pair nodded and watched you leave out into another courtyard after checking if the coast was clear.

Behind you Peter called out after their quiet conference, “Hey wait up!”

Out in the open Rocket again eyed his now beeping screen on his arm and grinned as Peter’s face popped up on his arm, “Ha! Found one! Time to go fishing.” In a path to line up Rocket glanced up at him only to say, “Quit staring! They’ll notice us!” Then ducked behind a planter assembling the net gun as Groot hit behind a fountain.

.

Behind you the pair entered the open space as Peter asked, “You’re really not going to tell us who those guys were?”

You shook your hear readying to say something until a net flew towards you making Ronan grip you in his arms and rush for a bench nearby with Korath, Gamora and Nebula behind you as Peter was jerked away by Yondu. In a tilt of your head under Ronan you called out to Peter, “You know who that is?”

He shook his head calling back, “Not a clue.”

Yondu locked eyes with you, “Need a lift?”

A turn of your head brought the Nifiri into view again making you mumble, “Damnit.” On your feet again you followed the pair as Yondu called out the location of their ship, a swipe of your hand took down two of the Nifiri after one shot at you singing your shoulder.

In a turn you skidded to a halt as their leader called out, “You will find justice murderer!”

You huffed as Peter turned to ask you, “You killed someone? You’re far too gorgeous to be an outlaw.” Ronan glared at him when he reached out to brush your hair behind your shoulder only to have it swatted away by Ronan.

“It, I,” you turned your head at the next shot fired, “I warned your Brother!”

In their race to you Ronan raised his hammer ready to charge at them just as Korath did while their leader called back, “You and your Bowie are going to die for this!”

Your brows dropped as Peter asked, “Did he say Bowie?” he turned his head to you asking, “David Bowie?!”

You nodded, “Ya, sort of a long story.”

Peter pointed a finger at him, “Don’t you dare touch Bowie! He is a national treasure!” His words died as he was trapped in a net flying off behind you.

The Nefiri leader called back with a chortle, “We have your Bowie and you will never find him!”

Around you Xandar drones appeared and Yondu tapped your shoulder, “Ship’s that way.”

In a glance at Peter being taken by groot you asked, “But, peter-..”

Yondu shook his head, “I know where he’s going.”

Peter shouted out, “Go! Go save Bowie!”

Swing after swing Ronan and Korath swatted the drones away from your group but not until Gamora got caught making you turn to her only to catch her motioning you ahead to keep going. Turning again you rushed after Yondu as Rocket and Groot were snapped up as well as you raced across the courtyard making sure to mentally lock onto the Nifiri’s minds draining them of the locations of their hideouts and base planets finding the one where Bowie had been taken.

.

In the Ravagers’ ship you eyed the crew staring you down while Yondu raced to the pilot’s seat as one of them shouted out, “Where’s pete?”

Firmly Ronan gripped you moving you to the row of benches along the wall where he held you on his lap, Korath and Nebula followed you to for the evasive path to freedom from the Xandarian border. Softly as the crew were filled in you asked Ronan, “Why did you pick Xandar?”

In a shy grin he responded, “They would never assume to find me there.”

You nodded, “Hmm.”

That word made him smirk then ask, “Why did you kill his brother?”

“He took a friend of mine. There are people on earth considered national treasures, mainly for their talents, not being actual treasures.” Ronan nodded, “He took one of them. I told him to return them, he refused.”

Korath turned to ask you, “Just how far are we traveling with these creatures?”

Yondu entered the area finding you still seated on Ronan’s lap to say, “We should be at Kyln within a couple hours and we can get our people back.”

Easing back against Ronan’s chest you felt his hands settle around your middle you eyed one of the crew members as he asked you with a grin, “How’d a pretty little thing like you get lumped in with us?”

You blinked up at him only to turn your head to Yondu as he asked, “That Nifiri said Bowie, Peter had a tape with music form a guy named Bowie, that the guy?”

You nodded, “Yes.” You wet your lips then asked him, “If he says you’re not his father how do you and Peter know each other?”

One of the crew members said, “Oh petey, we got hired nearly 30 years back by his daddy to bring him to him, but he’d just have killed the boy.”

Your brows furrowed curiously, “Who’s his dad?”

Yondu, “Some psychotic asshole bent on eating his own young.”

You nodded, “Met a few of those. Even related to one.” Making Nebula and Korath look at you while Ronan rested his chin on your shoulder silently sending a message back to his ship to meet you at Kyln with a receiver he eased out of his shielded pocket.

..

Bedtime call came around in Kyln Prison and sleeplessly Peter sat up staring at the ground until a set of shouts rang out through the prison. Distantly at the front entrance Yondu followed after you a bit stunned at your steady pace through the prison ship motioning the scepter towards any obstructing your path only making their eyes glow a bright blue as they sat down quietly. Hall by hall you led the group until you passed in front of Peter’s cell. With his lips parted he grinned hugging Yondu as he pocketed the walkman he had collected along the way for him. Across the way you eyed Gamora being drug by a group to a back shower making you grip your scepter tighter and quicken your step while Ronan let out a low growling breath taking longer strides to remain at your side.

At the sight of Korath another man coated in pink raised markings across his skin followed after you. In the locker an explosion of pale blue light sent the men gripping Gamora into the walls making her fall onto her knees. Turning her head she let out a relieved breath when you grinned and said, “You really thought we’d leave you here?”

On her feet she moved to Korath’s side and you turned spotting Rocket and Groot in the corner as Rocket said, “Hey! If you’re leaving we’re going with you! You lot are why we’re here anyways!”

In the doorway the shirtless man with pink etchings pointed at Gamora saying, “That woman is not leaving this prison.”

He charged for her only to stop at your glowing scepter aimed at his chest, “You will not hurt my friend. I don’t have that many and I prefer them intact.”

Gamora’s lips parted at your title for her before the man said, “That woman belongs to Thanos and Ronan the Accuser, he killed my family, it is only fitting I kill one of his!”

Gamora stated, “I do not belong to Thanos or Ronan.”

He retorted, “Your words mean nothing to me woman!”

You called out, “Hey! We’re talking, talk to me.” He let out a low growling breath while your free hand rested on Ronan’s middle behind you in an attempt to keep him in place, “What’s your name?”

“I am Drax the Destroyer.”

You nodded, “Well Drax, my name is Jaqi, this is Gamora and we are both leaving, you are welcome to come with us, however you will have to weigh the choice if vengeance is worth the price of your life.”

His eyes narrowed and he growled out, “I will never forgive her or her masters for what they have taken from me! Ronan murdered my wife, Hovat, and my daughter, Kamaria. He slaughtered them where they stood. And he laughed!”

You let out a deep breath keeping yourself from saying what you wanted to say to the man both in front of you and behind you and you linked your mind with his subtly learning who his wife and child were before you asked, “If I get you your wife and child will you let this feud go?”

His head turned more towards you with a stunned furrowed expression, “None can do that.”

Your head tilted, “I can.”

He glanced from you to Gamora, who had joined the others in peering at you in shock, “I do not believe you.”

You tilted your head again, “Well you only have to trust me from here to our ship, which should be arriving just about now, and then you can have your wife and child back along with your freedom, if you set this grudge aside.”

His brows furrowed again, “If you are lying-.”

“Then you can kill everyone you are able to on the ship.”

Curtly he nodded and you lowered your scepter and guided the confused group up to the observation deck of the ship on the way to the dock where Yondu’s ship was just in time to see it warp away as Ronan’s ship appeared. Drax’s eyes fell on you and you grinned at him, “That’s our ship.”

Yondu stared at you as did Peter, before they could say anything you snapped your fingers taking the whole group on board the ship, where Ronan’s disguise faded away instantly making Drax growl then pause at your finger extending at him, “Now, I gave you my word.”

His eyes lowered watching as you moved the tip of your scepter to slice a line into the side of your hand exposing purple shimmering blood rippling into a cloud of starlight when your eyes began to glow. Mentally you reached out to your father feeling the two souls being passed through you from your blood you sacrificed that rippled and grew forming two figures between you and Drax. The light in your eyes faded as they came into focus and glanced around at their surroundings then raced to Drax’s arms as he peered up at you watching as you licked your cut healing it.

Shifting your scepter to your formerly cut left hand you offered him your right, “Do we have a deal?”

His hand folded when he went to offer it to you, “This is an illusion, none can offer this.”

With a grin you replied as his arms folded around the pair anyways, “Perhaps I should introduce myself fully, I am Jaqiearae Pear, Daughter of Death.”

Peter scoffed asking, “Daughter of Death? How many did you have to kill for that title?”

Yondu swatted his arm asking you, “You’re a Celestial then?”

You nodded, “Exactly, the only female of my kind.” Your eyes turned to Drax, “My kin were born from the four Cosmic Entities, Death, Entropy, Infinity and Eternity. Though out of my kin I alone was carried by my father Death until my body was completely formed. I alone can guarantee their return, I cannot promise their protection, only a second chance at life. Their fates from now are solely in my father’s hands.”

Drax extended his hand after glancing at Ronan, who was smirking at your full title still, “Deal.”

Yondu chuckled as your hands dropped and you looked at him, “So then you’d know his daddy then?”

You glanced at Peter then Yondu again, “He’s a celestial?”

Peter mumbled, “I love the disbelief in your voice, _he’s one_?”

Yondu, “Half. His daddy Ego sent us to get him.”

You chuckled then grinned at Peter, “It is nice to see a Nephew of mine he hasn’t eaten.”

Peter’s lips parted, “Eaten?! He actually ate my brothers?!”

You nodded, “Apparently none of the others met his standards, my advice, stay clear. My brother’s not the shiniest nut in the bolt bucket.” You holstered your scepter and glanced up at Ronan asking while Peter still stared at you open mouthed, “How do Kree feel about the Nifiri?”

He smirked at you, “We have been searching for reasons to destroy their planets for years since they threatened our positions to the Xandarians before the treaty.”

You nodded, “Good, you’ve got one now.” You tapped his mind giving him the planet to go to he turned to announce for his men, who cheered and prepped for the impending invasion while you led the group to the mess hall.

Peter made it to your side asking, “Wait up, so, my dad ate my siblings, you can bring back the dead, and somehow also my Aunt, and buddy buddy with Ronan the Accuser while also being friends with David Bowie?!”

You peered up at him while Ronan settled his hand on your back stating, “Jaqi is my Keeper.”

Peter nodded sarcastically up at him then met your eye, “I get the shirt now, Papa Smurf, nice one. What does Keeper even mean?! Like you own him?”

Ronan, before you could answer said plainly, “In a sense.”

Making you peer up at him, “I do not own you.”

He met your eye, “But you do.”

You turned your head saying, “I’m still learning about the Kree, anyways, what was it you are asking exactly?”

Peter wet his lips even himself being unable to find his question then plainly asked, “How do you know Bowie?”


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gets a bit heated near the end. Plz let me know what you think of it so far. More bonding with Ronan's crew in the next part.

Fully fed you could feel Ronan’s eyes on you, just as they had been for most of the meal. A smirk sat across his lips knowing that after your victorious battle against the Nifiri he would have the rights to claim a much more intimate moment with you and finally close your bond after another form of dueling. Finishing your drink Ronan turned to answer a question from Korath, stealing a moment to plant his hand on your thigh and ease it upwards ending with his fingers trailing in a Kreeish symbol normally used to alert the Keeper of a request for an advancing duel after battle.

Why he imagined if you couldn’t name his food or speak his language you would know the proper response was beyond your comprehension. And yet somehow as your empty cup was set down on the table you zapped Loki into the room in his full armor, minus his cape, stirring a smirk onto his lips as he watched Ronan’s fingers while you finished explaining to Peter about how you had first met Bowie on a bus when he was a child.

Peter, “The bus hit you?!”

“Um, kind of, more like I fell into the side of it.”

Peter, “And Bowie helped you up?”

“No. He watched me get on the bus, let me sit by him and he shared some of his carrots.”

Peter, “That’s it?!”

You nodded, “That’s it. Ran into him twenty years later when he was touring.”

A glance at Loki while his arms crossed his mind linked with yours and he shifted his elbow and tapped a finger on his chest as he eyed Peter at his asking, “And who’s this? Another of your boy toys?”

With a smirk you tapped your elbow to Ronan’s chest where Loki had pointed, in as naturally a motion as you could, deepening the warrior’s smirk at your acceptance while you stood saying, “What can I say, I have a weakness for warriors in blue.” Shifting around the table to join Loki to plan the battle at Ronan’s side feeling his palm plant on your shoulder as Peter’s brows furrowed at your response in confusion.

Towln, the base planet where Bowie was being held lay in the middle of a floating minefield. To get to the planet you had to get through a fleet of war ships, and with Ronan’s aid you had a vast fleet of your own at your disposal. The call was sent out and sixty Kree ships had answered the call to battle naming the Nifiri as targets. In the transfer of battle plans to the Kree Ronan was taken from your side leaving Yondu and Peter to chat with Rocket, Groot and Drax, who was more than eager to repay you for your impossible gift.

.

Off in your room to fetch something Loki followed you with a cocky grin. “My Darling.”

In his hands were a set of Asgardian armor compacted into a pair of metal bangles for your wrists. “I am not wearing that.”

“Darling, please. I just want to look after you.”

You holding your hands out for the bands to fly over and seal around your wrists, “Fine, Just don’t die on me, please.”

He chuckled and nodded, “Of course, My Love.”

“You’ve had all the fun lately. If anyone gets to die next it’s me.” Making him chuckle again with a hint of mischief in his eyes, “Now, what’s that look for. You’re up to something.”

On the edge of your bed he sat watching you search for a tucked away note for yourself, “I suppose there’s something I should share about the Kree.”

“Oh, and just what might that be?” You asked with a playful grin finally finding and pocketing your note.

“When you first sleep with a Kree Warrior they call it bleeding them.”

You sighed, “Oh I hope it’s not why I think it is.”

“Their first ejaculation is trailed by a bit of their blood.”

“Lovely.”

He chuckled, “It must be drained inside their Keeper.”

“Unless?”

“It acts as a binder for both. Once they’ve been bled a Kree can be summoned wordlessly to their Keeper if needed and can also grant their Keeper strength or aid in healing. To not drain inside their partner is taken as a great insult and they physically start to wither.”

In an unspoken hope your assumption wasn’t true, “Why do I need to know this right now?”

“Because Kree warriors are most aroused after a victory, and trust me Dearest, when they see you demolish that planet you will have every right to take your Warrior to bed.”

“Am I expected to?”

“My Dearest, you are not expected to do anything you do not wish to. Ronan would not allow anything else. Nor would I.”

“Why are you so eager to see me bonded to him?”

Loki’s hands rested on your hips pulling you a bit closer to him with a loving gaze locked on yours, “Because my Love, in Hel I crossed paths with the Fates and they passed on a warning, either a bond is forged or Ronan falls trying to wield the Infinity Stone himself triggering a war costing the lives of billions. We save Ronan, we save the world.”

“If I didn’t know better I’d say you have a soft spot for him yourself.”

He chuckled standing to follow you to the door, “He is dedicated to you alone. Though I would not refuse if offered a chance.”

You rolled your eyes and then grinned seeing Ronan on the other side of it, “Ronan, there you are.” His brow inched up, “Are you remaining on your ship with your men?”

“I am going with you.”

You nodded patting your hand on his chest nearly making his head tilt at the odd contact only to give you a challenging yet playful glare in your step to his right while your hand slid to his side guiding him to turn. With fingers grazing just barely over the seam of his armored shirt it marked an intimate check on the armor containing the Warrior of your affection. The path of your fingers along his hip to rest along your side had the eyes of the other Kree on board in a silent show of something along the lines of ‘just wait and see what we can do’ common among the couples on board. With the only marker of your strength so far being one of healing a long standing injury they were all eager to see just what you could do.

.

All in line the Kree ships started firing on the weak spots you had given away, focusing on weakening the barrier there to fire through to the armored towers. Leaving Peter on board with Drax’ family, while Rocket and Groot were already planning their next target for a big payday. You could hear Peter’s screams from the surface when you zapped down. In the middle of the barren rocky sun scorched plain you landed with Ronan and Loki flanking you, both with wide smirks on their faces at the Nifiri guards ten feet away yet to notice you.

Loki asked playfully, “I am curious, how many of you have seen a star being born?”

Korath, “What importance does that have now?”

Loki chuckled stealing a glance at Ronan forcing him to notice the deep purple veins spreading across your skin while your eyes shimmered brightly in a multicolored haze matching the glow around your hands. A single breath was all it took for you to ready then charge towards the guards now aware of you. “You’re about to see one.” He proudly exclaimed taking off after you with Ronan right behind him, his eyes still lingering on you in your sneakers, jeans, tank top and open flannel shirt flapping behind you wildly.

A swat of your hand at the gun of a Nifiri took out the three on his left and you leapt up using your other hand to force its head back violently snapping its neck. Another rushed into your path and you leapt up gripping the neck of one with your thighs, rolling mid air snapping its neck while using its gun to kill the five around him.

Landing steadily you hopped over the body of the guard Ronan just killed to charge at the base of the tower, stunned the group watched when their foes had fallen at your feet colliding with the tower sending cracks up the side followed by the massive split your fist made. Using the rest of the force of your run up to your shoulder your arm sank causing an audible crack and snaking split steadily growing up the fifty mile tall tower. A sharp jerk brought an obscure pulsing yellow power cell into view in your fist.

Gamora, “Miss Pear-,” Her lips parted seeing the pulsing of the cell’s light marking its instability out of its protective chamber marking its being close to exploding.

Steadily once you had hopped down off the tower now steadily being coated with spreading cracks nearing collapse you flipped the cell in your palm, “Yes Gamora?”

Before she could say anything you wound your arm back hurling the cell at a not too distant wall around their barrier to the vast keep.

She shook her head, “It can wait.”

Just as it hit the liquid inside spread then oozed back into a steaming ball that exploded, setting off a series of power cells for the barrier around the keep. Each one exploding taking out more and more of their defenses while the tower beside you flashed red marking its critical status as it switched into self destruct mode. A process magnetically pulling the Nifiri ships above the radius it shielded back down towards the planet. The message it sent out meant there were more Nifiri forces on the way, but you were already charging through the freshly destroyed gate.

Deeper and deeper into the city you went with more scattered explosions in a wide radius around you, both from your initial attack rippling through the city and from the attacks the Kree ships unleashed from above in the freshly created weak spots in the barrier. Behind you a series of Kree drones flew adding to your protection while broadcasting your actions through the non battling crews on the Kree ships.

A tall highly defended keep in the distance stood between you and your goal. Glowing brighter you sped in front of the others waving your hand in front of your eyes and sharply down to your side, through which it shifted to a purplish mist disintegrating leaving just a massive hole leading to an underground set of cellars. The rows of guards trembled still from their witnessing your attach. Chests, shoulders and heads using them as your landing points your feet never touched the ground while the towering creatures fell one by one. The last fell with your knee landing on Loki’s shoulder, with a gentle pat on your hip while you scanned over the distant Kree ships above, that pat signaled his other hand helping to grip you to let you down.

Peering upwards you asked, “Ro, have you ever noticed your ship kind of looks like black licorice sticks?”

Ronan blinked at you, “What is a licorice stick?”

“It’s a type of candy.”

Ronan, “We should get some. My mother enjoys Terran candy. Do you still have, Thin Mints?”

“Yes. Different box but same recipe.”

He nodded, “My Father used to bring it home by the barrel.”

You let out a giggle drawing out your sheathed scepter and flipping it in your hand casually for a better hold, “Alright, we will pick up some candy back on earth.”

As the first to descend the winding steps in front of you your scepter lit the way while the drones dropped down to fly ahead clearing your path until the third corridor appeared before you and the sound of rhythmic tapping echoed faintly through the hall rapidly filling with Nifiri. Another race forward brought the tapping and faint voices growing louder.

_Pressure pushing down on me_

_Pressing down on you, no man ask for_

_Under pressure that burns a building down_

_Splits a family in two_

_Puts people on streets_

Another curved hall later more Nifiri scurried out of hatches from the floors below you.

_Um ba ba be_

_Um ba ba be_

_De day da_

_Ee day da, that's okay_

Left and right you all broke through the obstructing forces until you were alone in the hall looking through each door along the way while the drones flew ahead stirring up more screams.

_It's the terror of knowing what the world is about_

_Watching some good friends screaming_

_"Let me out!"_

_Pray tomorrow gets me higher_

_Pressure on people, people on streets_

A final set of Nifiri fell in the pale blue blast from your scepter warping the door they were guarding outwards. Nearing it Ronan swung at the top corner sending the ruined heap of metal after them heavily exposing the chained band of Rockers in the plain stone cell.

A grin spread on David Bowie’s face as he said, “Eh! They’re here!”

Paul McCartney, “Knew it wouldn’t take long.”

Keith Richards drew out the cigarette he’d hidden in his headband, “Got a light Love?” You nodded and walked closer drawing a lighter from your pocket lighting it for him while Loki helped Mick Jagger out of his wrist cuffs.

“I tried warning them.”

Bowie’s head tilted through an unaffected shrug while Gamora helped him from his cuffs when Keith’s fell to the floor at your flicking them.

Paul hopped up on his own getting a grin from Loki saying, “Ah, these chaps aren’t as bad as those Scroll people you got me from last time.”

Ronan glanced at you angrily, “Skrull have been kidnapping your treasures?”

Mick Jagger, “Those bastards ruined my good belt last time.”

Still looking at Ronan your hand settled on his tightening bicep calming the rage building in him, “What did the Skrull do?”

Ronan, “They imprisoned my people! For generations until we managed to free ourselves!”

Loki peered down the hall, “Dearest. Time go.”

You nodded telling Ronan, “When you get back to the ship tell them to draw back, just as we planned.”

Ronan, “You mean when we-.” His words cut off at the sound of echoing boots signaling the hoards of surviving Nifiri racing towards you all just as you zapped them all back to Ronan’s ship. In the distance more Nifiri ships arrived ready for battle.

Ronan’s eyes went wide with a protective rage and Loki’s hand met his arm holding him from charging to the window in the distance, “The plan.”

Ronan drew a breath and gave the order signaling the ships to draw back. The door to the command center and Peter stormed through, “Alright, where is she?! She thinks-,” his words cut off and his knees went weak as he shrieked out weakly, “David Bowie!”

The rockers grinned then pointed at the large window as Kieth Richards said, “Just in time for the show.”

Peter eagerly tiptoed to their side watching the window curiously before he saw it. A bright white explosion that sucked back in pulling the cracking planet and the Nifiri ships in with it exposing the now purple molten core pulsing brightly the tighter it pulled.

Loki chuckled patting the awed Warrior’s shoulder, softly saying, “Death was a terrifying creature in my mind as a child. But in truth, she is the most devastatingly beautiful creature I have ever beheld.”

One ship managed to break free only to watch as the compressed ball exploded badly damaging part of their ship while the Kree stared in awe at the new star while you, in a glowing beam of light flew out of the center only to halt, turn and glare at the Nifiri ship that promptly warped away.

Loki chuckled as Yondu whistled in awe then said, “Nobody with any sense steals from her.”

Gamora’s head turned to ask, “What did Thanos steal from her?”

Loki glanced at her, “Ooh, he’s been hiding from death a long time. Destroying planets and hiring bandits to steal sacred items to her people claiming himself a God and above Death.”

Korath, “The orb.”

Loki nodded then grinned, “Then he stole me in hopes of getting her tesseract.” His eyes wandered to you in your turn to fly closer to Ronan’s ship after Loki waved his hand coated in a wave of green energy showing through the window. In a lean closer to Ronan he lowly stated, “It is best when she gets in to wait until her eyes settle back to purple before touching her. Trust me, not intentional, but far from pleasant.”

Ronan nodded, “Of course.” His eyes shifted to land on you in your still lowly glowing body now hovering above the ground inside his command room and slowly sinking while your light dimmed around you but not in your eyes yet. Around you the other Kree ships warped back to where they were needed while Ronan ordered his towards Earth and asked you in an admiring tone, “Are we leaving first again?”

“Or-,” you walked towards the controls, placing your hand on the navigational orb assisting the ship to suddenly appear within half an hour’s distance as Loki was zapped away with the rockers making Peter squeak again. “We could bring the whole ship this time.” Making him smirk as your eyes darkened to their normal purple, “I need a shower. Then we can buy some candy.”

Rocket stared up at Peter while he squeaked out pointing where the rockers just were making Rocket shake his head mumbling under his breath, “You’re just, so, so stupid.” Watching as Yondu rubbed his back.

.

Through the door you walked with Ronan after you into the halls echoing with cheers and awed stares from the Kree you passed while the others headed to their rooms to clean up as well. Right into your room you walked feeling Ronan following you, still trapped in his awe at your hidden strength, now knowing who had been behind the sudden appearance of unaccounted for stars along his travels during his training and time in command. Taking their enemies and reducing their planets to glimmering stars to remind them why not to cross you.

Leaving your scepter sheath on the bed along with your belt and what you had in your pockets you left your sneakers and socks by the bed asking Ronan, “Are you tired?”

His eyes locked on yours, “I can go days in battle.”

You nodded with a smirk strolling around him to the bathroom noticing his hint of a smirk following you after. A knock of the knot along the wall later and you were stripped down to your underwear. Nudging the clothes out of the way you asked the warrior watching your hands unclasp your bra strap, “You are going to bathe aren’t you?”

His darkened gaze hit yours darkening at your approving wave of emotions, “Is that an invitation?”

“Unless you’d prefer to bathe in your room.” You said dropping your panties you added to the pile and stepped inside under the warm water feeling his eyes on you while setting his hammer against the wall by the door.

In an easy motion he removed his helmet leaving it in the sink before loosening the chest plate he removed leaving by the door as well, keeping his eyes on you the whole time he stripped layer by layer. Hungrily taking in the last of the bubbles coating you washing off of you. Swallowing dryly he stripped then moved closer watching you add some of your soap to the loofa in your hand while you eased around to his back making him peer over it at you.

With a giggle you said, “It’s soap, I’m not going to stab you.” You said smoothing the loofa over his back making his tensed muscles relax at your touch while the green tinted dingy blood washed away as he rinsed off his arms and chest.

“Warriors are normally bathed by servants before battles, not after.”

“Is it an insult to help you wash your back?”

“Not in the least.” He said rinsing off his head and neck.

“Well then relax, I’m just helping with your back, you can handle the rest of your seven foot frame. Won’t be able to reach much higher than this easily.”

“That is surprising to hear with how high you managed to leap in battle.” He replied in a playful purr.

“I am not climbing you to help you bathe.” Passing around him to set the loofa back.

Right next to your ear he purred again, “Pity.”

Tilting your head you caught his gaze hungrily on your lips all but making you smirk, “You missed a spot.” Before he could do or say anything your hand was on his neck tugging him a bit lower, and as your head tilted with your nose easing against his he leaned in planting his lips on yours.

In his move closer his fingertips eased along the side of your thigh, uncertain if he should touch you fully just yet. The surge of endorphins he got from the gentle brush of his fingers through his link with you was nothing compared to what he felt when your free hand brush along the other side of his neck and down his chest towards the muscle now tapping your thigh as the kiss grew more heated.

Firmly his hand planted on your hip easing up your side and down again, at the first shift of his other hand your body arched against his at the cupping of your cheek while the other firmly cupped your ass. Timidly his hands wandered at first with the first flick of your tongue between his lips.

A deep rumbling purr came from him out of an approving growl at your fingers easing from around his neck to his scalp when his lips met your neck. The firmer his lips pressed the closer to the wall he inched you, a nip at your lip later he moved onto your breasts only to pause at your fingers easing along his shaft drawing a low moan from him muffling against your skin.

Lost in the water pouring over your heads and down your skin your strokes grew more determined and at the tensing of his muscles your free hand moved to his on your breast. A gentle grip of his wrist helped to free it making his lips leave yours in a confused pant while you planted his hand on the wall over your shoulder. Softly you said, “Hands on the wall.” He raised a brow, and you added playfully, “Come on.” Moving his other hand onto the wall in another kiss he growled through at the lip lock at his inability to touch you how he wished to wondering what you were up to as you started stroking him again.

Your lips left his and he tried not to growl again knowing he was so close and was just moments from asking for permission to fill you to complete the bond. To his surprise you crouched down trailing your lips over his naval and hips his eyes following you in your teasing lick along his shaft. In a gasp he stepped back only to have your hand ease around his hip, “Come here. I’m not going to bite you.” The uncertainty in his eyes made you giggle and say in another growl inducing stroke along the muscle pulsing between your fingers, “You’re so close, you don’t trust me?”

At that he stepped back again biting his lip watching you lick him again keeping your eyes on his until you slipped the tip between your lips to trail your tongue around it making him gasp then moan when you took him further. The deeper he sank between smooth strokes of his hand his growling moans became harder for him to control while his hip thrusts matching your strokes leaning closer to the wall with forearms pressed against them until his final shuddering moan. A couple more strokes and you swallowed the odd lemony fluid and stood again under his hunched frame while he panted. Dropping his eyes to your lips as his right thumb eased between them making his own lips part to lowly ask, “You swallowed it.”

His thumb eased back and after a gentle peck of your lips on it his eyes rose to yours as you asked with hands easing over his middle when your elbow hit the knot to turn off the water, “Did you not want me to?”

For a moment he blinked at you then said, “It is very rare for a Warrior to be tasted at their bleeding.”

With a smirk you asked, “Good rare or bad rare?”

“The strongest bonds are formed from tasting.”

You nodded and inched up stealing a kiss on his lips then said, “Then we should get dressed. We’ve got candy shopping to do.”

Wetting his lips he straightened up watching you step out of the shower easing the water off you with a flick of your hand before winding your hair up into a tall ponytail with your comb, zapping his armor to his room and a fresh set of clothes for him in return he started pulling on. His eyes stayed on you and he followed you into your room watching as you threw your dirty clothes into your hamper and pulled on a fresh purple set of lingerie.

Then covered by another pair of tight jeans you bounced into easing a smirk onto his lips watching you in his sitting on your bed watching your body shift in pulling on your belt, fresh tank top and flannel over. In a turn you sat down to ease on your socks, smirking at his shift to sit right against your side leaning closer to press his lips to the bare strip of skin on your shoulder on your awkwardly tucked under collar on his side he straightened after.

In a playful glance at him after adding your sneakers you asked, “You aren’t curious?”

“Of what?”

“What you taste like.”

“Like blood I assume.”

You let out a giggle making him raise a brow, “Hmm.”

His arm moved to keep you in place asking back with a challenging smirk, “Hmm?”

Shifting to face him you said, “You’re a lemon flavored purring Warrior.”

His brow inched up, “I do not purr.”

He moved to get up and you quickly climbed onto his lap pinning him back onto the bed instantly making him smirk, “You could throw me across the room you know.”

“I would never.”

You leaned in pressing your lips to his then locked your eyes with his when they opened, “What little bit of the Kree I know of, you’re not unfeeling boulders. You are a great people, with so very much to offer, and for every ounce of bravery of fiery warrior essence in you, there’s a bit of a soft spot.”

“You are my weakness.”

You nodded, “Yes, so you can purr with me, you can be soft and let someone half your size and a third of your weight pin you down pitifully. You can talk to me. And then you can go be fierce out there with them.” You sat up and he sat up easing his arms around your hips making you sigh and ease your arms around his shoulders in his lean in to kiss you again. “When we’re on earth I’ll look into getting you a kitten.”

“What is a kitten?”

You smirked, “It’s a four legged carnivorous creature coated with fur that purrs when it’s content. Humans keep them as pets.”

“I do not believe we can properly tend to a hunting creature on this ship just yet.”

You giggled again, “They sell prepackaged food for them.”

“Convenient.” He nodded, “On Terra we will inspect these kittens of yours.”

A honking sound went off echoing in the room and your brows furrowed, “What is that?”

He sighed, “The door.”

You nodded, “Why is it a honk?”

“A honk?”

“That’s what we call that noise. What do you call it?”

“It doesn’t have a name, but we have these vicious creatures on Hala that fly around wreaking havoc on us.”

You smirked, “I’m going to get you a book on animals too, we have geese, birds that sound like that and do just that.” Climbing off his lap you led him to the door hearing his growl at again being taken from your bed.


	7. Chapter 7

Through the halls you followed Ronan to where the others were waiting. Beside the main arch Peter stood with arms crossed and a childish pout on his face saying, “I demand to go too.”

You nodded, “Ok.”

His shoulders dropped, “Ok?”

You nodded, “Ok.”

With a soft exhale Ronan’s hand folded around yours and he mumbled, “Marshmallow.”

A smirk eased across your lips and you asked, “Who’s all going?”

Gamora, Korath, Nebula, Peter and Yondu stepped closer with eager grins at the trip to the candy shop. In an easy pop Peter squeaked again and rushed across the penthouse to hop into the seat Thor had just left to get a snack, eager to simply listen to the rockers that had finished sending out the message Tony had just broadcast live to the world confirming their safe return.

Curiously though Tony entered the room pointing at Ronan, “When did he get kidnapped?”

Ronan raised a brow, “I was not kidnapped.”

Tony’s eyes narrowed while Sam behind him did the same saying, “Ok, I’ve seen his films and he never sounded like that.”

Loki walked out of his room changed into a button down shirt and jeans eyeing the confused pair now joined by Pepper, all glancing at Loki when he said, “It’s a disguise.”

Tony raised a brow looking at Loki, now with blonde hair brushed back with short beard and mustache to match, “Why do you need a disguise?”

Loki shrugged, “Mess with the Midguardians.”

Sam chuckled pulling out his phone to snap a picture of you both before Gamora asked, “Will we need disguises as well?”

Nebula, “I do not wish to blend in.”

Korath, “Nor do I.”

You giggled saying, “You do not need disguises.”

Gamora nodded, “Good.”

Tony smirked saying, “I’m going too.”

He chuckled while Sam followed after him saying, “This is going to be good.”

In the elevator the pair grinned and Tony asked, “Where are we heading?”

“Candy shop.”

Sam slowly repeated, “Candy, shop?”

You nodded and Ronan replied, “We are in search of Thin Mints and something called Licorice.”

Loki adjusted the rolled sleeve above his elbow, “I am personally searching for Jujubes.”

Korath, “My Father prized Red Hots. My brother and I used to see who could handle the most.”

Nebula, “Who won?”

Korath, “He held 25 on his tongue, I held 20.”

Gamora, “Ah.”

Korath smirked, “Then he threw up.”

Nebula glanced at Gamora who sent her a challenging glance in return while hearing, “I could beat you.”

Gamora, “You have no taste buds, that is obvious.”

Nebula, “If I had I would still beat you.”

Sam grinned as Tony led the way out to the street leading the way to the large candy shop a few blocks over. In a glance up however you spotted the ship in the distance a little boy was pointing at. Turning your head to look down again you caught the wink from Loki making you smirk at him in return while a finger on his hand looped around your pinky finger.

.

The two story building that was painfully empty and looking far from frequented was run by an overly eager shop owner who practically fell off his ladder dusting his jars of candy to ask how he could help you. Just like children the trio behind you rushed through the shop while Ronan answered the man’s question of, “How may I help you?”

Ronan, “Thin Mints.”

The man nodded waving his hand to the right, “This way, full display in stock.”

Ronan grinned seeing the boat shaped display, “My Mother will enjoy these greatly.” He turned his head asking, “Licorice?”

You grinned at him telling the shop owner, “We’ll take all these.”

The man all but fainted at your comment then said, “Licorice would be this way.”

As soon as he saw the jars of licorice Ronan chuckled leaning in, “It does resemble our ships.” He glanced at the man, “We will take all your licorice.”

A sharp alarm sounded from Tony’s pocket making him draw out his phone then glance at you, “Um, Jaqi.” He flashed you view of his phone showing the comic convention in California with among the stars headlining was Lee Pace with a small set of ships crashing into the parking lot outside with Nifiri rushing through the cars towards the building.

“Of course, idiots. Tony buy the man’s stock, all of it.”

“I’m docking it from your pay!”

“Tony, you and your father have never paid me a dime since Stark Industries opened in 1940.” His lips parted as Sam’s did through his glare at the mogul, “Buy the damn stock.”

.

Within an instant you were in the parking lot passing Ronan his hammer while Loki drew out his daggers. With a wave of your hand two ships were gone while the others took out the other ship ceasing the screams for a moment until another ship crashed into the other side of the building. Another pop later stunned screams came from crowds stunned to see the stars racing alongside a stranger through the fleeing masses only finding the building being sealed by an invisible shield.

“HEY!”

The Nifiri growling in his race towards the stunned Hobbit cast sped up bidding you to do the same drawing your scepter out taking out a number in the distance while Loki split into ten of himself. And Ronan took out the next few trying to jump through the hole in the far wall with an energy blast from his hammer. On his feet Lee stood in the center of the cast behind the line of guards with an open mouth mumbling, “That’s my face.”

Though his jaw dropped wider in your running leap to take out the Nifiri charging at the group, breaking his neck then starting on the next one. Another wall was broken and the guards split up the actors into smaller groups while you and Loki hurled the rubble back at the invaders and cut down the rest. Ducking under the table behind you your foot rose knocking the table upwards as you laid flat letting the table shatter over you at the gun blast hitting the table. A tilt of your scepter took out that Nifiri and the two behind him. The beam from above crashing down at the blast one of them let off while falling was avoided at your roll out of the way into a crouch beside a familiar frame.

“Now, you-,” Your head turned and you locked eyes with Lee Pace behind the rubble of a chunk of wall, “You’re not my marshmallow.” You mumbled then stood up glancing around until you found Ronan. “Stay down.” You leapt over the rubble and raced over to his side taking out another two trying to ambush him from behind.

In the odd silence you felt Ronan’s hand smoothing the collar of your shirt back over your shoulder after it’d slid to your elbow after eyeing the transmitter in his pocket, “My ship says they handled the rest of them.” Then pocketed his transmitter again.

With a nod you walked up to the stage and let out a whistle drawing the stunned crowds out to look at you and your forced smile. “Hi. Um, we’ve had a bit of a scuffle, just give me a moment and the building will be righted. Just move to the center and try to steer clear of the rubble.”

They all moved in towards the center of the room while Ronan hopped up on the stage beside you eyeing the actor now on his feet staring at him. Ronan glanced at you while Lee asked, “Why do you look like me?”

Ronan, “Is the mortal necessary?”

You glanced between them, “Yes, he is. Not for me, but for others. He’ll get over it.”

Lee looked to you, “I’ll get over it? He comes in with my face and starts killing aliens!”

Your head turned so you could talk to the confused crowds again only to have Lee step closer to you reaching out to grab your arm. Loki zapped a double between you and Lee with a dagger to his neck, “Don’t.”

Lee’s brow rose, “Tom? What are you doing with these two?”

Loki shook his head grinning, “I’m not Tom. And the Queen is speaking, so Shh.” He said lifting a finger to his lips.

Lee glanced at his costars mouthing, “Queen?”

A snap of your fingers later the crowd gasped at the building repairing itself like new with everything flying back into place with all the injuries on everyone inside healing. Richard Armitage behind you moved closer with his lips parted peering up at the intact beam and ceiling, “How did you do that? Your, Majesty.” he asked.

You glanced at him wetting your lips then said, “Closest answer I have for you to be able to understand is magic.”

Lee, “How come he gets to speak to her?”

Ronan, “That mortal addressed her properly.”

You glanced at Lee and said, “I doubt it would be safe for others on this planet to know who is visiting today. He needed a disguise. We’ll be gone by morning.”

Lee was about to speak when Loki added, “Better a famous face to draw attention in a positive way than ours in a negative one. Consider yourself lucky we are not Skrull, or we would have skinned you for the disguise instead of forming the illusion of it.”

With another forced smile after the crowds died down again when you claimed Richard’s microphone you said, “Hi. Um, show of hands, who has seen Men in Black?” Pretty much all their hands went up and you raised your scepter, “Good, just take a peak at the glowing blue light and you can get back to your convention and pleasant moods.”

All eyes were on the scepter that let out a blue explosion of light while Loki and Ronan closed their eyes. In the dimming light you passed the mic back to Richard before you zapped back again to the entrance of the candy shop finding Gamora and Nebula glaring at one another with large barrels of gumballs each making you shake your head, “Not gonna ask.”

Tony on the street got off his phone and he said when you came into view again, “Nice job on the convention center. I’ve been on the phone with Pepper, apparently my Dad saved an account under the name of Crocodile, whatever that means, you’ve never had a code name.”

You groaned rubbing your hand over your face, “We met when he was a kid. ‘See you later Alligator’,”

Tony nodded, “Ya, In a while Crocodile. Guess he never bothered to ask your name.”

“No, he did. Daily. Then he’d have two or three cocktails.”

Tony nodded flicking a card out of his pocket vision had flown out to him after finding, “Here, for your paychecks. Pepper is seeing to the name change.”

In a glance back into the shop while Korath teleported back from the ship you spotted the beaming near tears candy man and told him, “You just found a steady stream of customers.” Taking a business card from his counter you borrowed one of his pens and passed him the card, “Just give this number a ring when you’re fully stocked again.”

He nodded frantically holding the card as if it was gold, “Thank you! Come again!”

You chuckled following Korath out with the final barrel of candy while Gamora and Nebula teleported back again with eager grins asking, “Where next?”

“We have to stop at a book shop and then Pet shop.”

Sam chuckled, “What sort of pets are you looking for?”

Ronan, “Kitten.”

Sam raised a brow then glanced at you, “You wanted, books, candy and kittens.”

Ronan, “A kitten.”

“Long story.”

Sam’s head tilted and he said playfully, “Lead on Space Mom.”

.

First you stopped at the book shop, another small shop rarely used where Ronan eyed the shop as you led him to the section on animals. Nipping at your lip you eyed the titles then grinned finding a book on birds you pulled off the shelf then flipped through it to the goose and showed it to Ronan peering over your shoulder. His finger tapped the page, “That is our **Grempgfronk**.”

You nodded, “Yup, Goose. Maniacal creatures.”

Ronan eyed the shelves saying, “We should buy these books too.”

Korath started to gather up as many as he could carrying them to the desk with Gamora and Nebula doing the same making the man at the desk tear up while Loki levitated the rest over saying, “We’ll most likely be back later for more.”

When completed you made your way down to the corner pet shop where you named all the creatures you could until Ronan leaned forward peering into a plexiglass pen with a set of mismatched kittens meowing as they climbed over one another. “These are kittens?”

You nodded and he looked at Korath, who had raised one in his hands holding it to his ear, “It resonates at a frequency when you hold it up to your ear.”

“It actually does that when it’s content.”

You glanced at Ronan when he held one up to his ear then gave you a challenging glare, “This proves nothing.”

You nodded with a smirk, “Of course not.”

He set the kitten down as Korath had when the sisters had stolen a listen on kittens of their own as their leader said, “These are not suitable enough a gift for my Keeper.” He turned leading you out of the shop leaving the incredibly confused staff talking amongst themselves while Sam pouted following Tony after you all back to the tower wondering why Ronan hadn’t let any of you pick a kitten.

With Peter and Yondu with you your group zapped back to the ship that was headed back for a stop in at Hala for the handoff of treats and refilling of supplies as Yondu and Peter were zapped back to their ship. It only took a few hours before Loki was back on Asgard when you passed it leaving you to head back to your room to drop heavily into your bed with belt and shoes beside the bed.

.

While you slept the proud warrior free of your illusion delved into more than a couple of your books looking over the various forms and breed of cats trying to find one worthy enough for his Keeper. Once the main traveled distance and sharing of later attacks were through again he returned back to his room. Kree laws were clear, they had been victorious in battle so he must honor that by sleeping in the blood of his enemies. Below the surface however he kept his mind on all the different breeds of cat he had read about.

A signal drew him from his blood pit, steadily the blood trickled across his skin back into the pit on his path to his shower. Washed, dusted and dressed again he went straight to his command chair to greet the Ambassador in his return at the docking station. Fully welcomed Ronan readied to go off ship, in his link with you he felt your need to rest so he left alone with the barrel of thin mints hovering beside him. Each candy left had been split among the rest of the crew for their own liking. A short relaxing trip on Hala was what the crew needed, all joining the other crews that had joined in on the fighting eagerly spreading the recordings of your battle among their people, all of whom glad to have such an ally in their hatred of the Nifiri.

Upon return he walked steadily into your room with a shimmering furry cactus coated in varying colored flowers he carried into your room and set it beside the bed. Standing by the bed he watched you roll over facing away from him, covers pushed down to your waist your hand was blindly reaching for. Leaning down he eased off his boots to leave quietly by the bed soon covered by his shirt he removed he slid into, flattening out behind you and raising the covers as he did. Sliding his arm under your head his other laid over your side holding you close to him while his forehead nestled against the back of your head.

.

A loud honk filled the room and lazily you rolled onto your back curiously peering at the plant by your bed. Upon closer inspection you spotted the note propped against it, blank until you picked it up, reading,

_“A token towards the next of our many adventures._

_Your Purring Warrior and reluctant Marshmallow.”_

Chuckling weekly you sat up brushing the covers down as you sat up, setting the note back, “I suppose they are very sentimental cacti for the Kree.” Mumbling to yourself on the way to the door that opened before you revealing Gamora.

Her hand moved and you saw the tray of food floating behind her, “I apologize for waking you, however Ronan ordered us to ensure you were eating.”

“Ah. How was Hala?”

Gamora followed you to your bed where you sat on it again curling your legs in front of you focusing on the oddly bubbling mixture of what looked like onions, beans and turnips while you raised your spoon saying, “I will never get used to the differences in food for all the cultures I’ve seen.”

Weakly she chuckled then eyed your cactus, the furry coat shifting colors distracting her from her next task until she heard a throat clear in the doorway from another Kree attendant. “Ronan should be back from on board later today.” Gamora nodded turning back to the door to see to her duties while the passing Kree in varying shades of grey, blue and the rare pink one from the kitchens stole a glimpse into the room, all focusing on the cacti beside your bed until the door shut again on its own.

On the tray you left the empty dishes and watched it float away back to the kitchens leaving you to read a bit before you slipped back into another nap. Snug under your covers you nestled until a furry face rubbed against your forehead, but it was the barb covered tongue sliding against your skin over your eyebrow forcing your eyes open. Wide eyed you stared at the tiger cub that let out a dying attempt at a roar when a grey fluffy jaguar cub pounced on it then onto your lap when you sat up. Inhaling deeply you brushed the covers back and picked up the pair playfully rubbing their faces on your chin and neck in your path through the ship.

Straight to the command room, one of the three rooms you knew on this ship, you passed the Kree along the way all nodding their heads to you with smirking glances at your gifts trying to roar in your arms. At the door you eyed the line of Kree in what appeared to possibly be lab coats exiting the room with respectful bows of their heads and glances stolen at the cubs. When they had passed you walked into the room seeing the stacks of books around Ronan’s chair with the Warrior smirking inside it on your approach, proudly stating, “I see you found my gifts.”

A few feet away you asked, “Why was there a tiger and leopard cub in my bed.”

“You wanted kittens and I got you the best.”

You blinked a few times saying, “There’s a difference between kittens and cubs.”

He nodded, “Yes, these are far superior. Especially for hunting. My Keeper gets the best.”

“Ronan, you can’t just take these cubs, their species are near-,”

“Extinction, I know. We have scoured the wild collecting a group of each of your extinct species and plants and rehoused them in perfected habitats on the empty southern Moon of Hala for a safer habitat for their breeding. Terrans are destroying their own creatures while bickering on how to supposedly save them. These were found on our scavenging, their parents were in cages with the Terrans stabbing at them with spears. I did not know if you preferred stripes or spots so I chose these for you and sent their parents along to the breeding moon.”

“How-,”

He smirked, “You will find Hala quite unrivaled in creating flawless ecosystems for such circumstances. I especially focused on the pandas, Loki mentioned you enjoy them. We are working on the oceanic habitats to save those precious coral reefs and these whales of yours. Some of our scientists believe it best just to take a group of everything, plants, animals, insects to recreate it fully.”

“Why did you do this?”

Leaning forward his hand settled on your thigh guiding you closer to him with a soft grin on his face, “You enjoy the creatures of Terra, which the mortals are destroying and hunting to extinction. I treasure your smile so my people have agreed to this task of preserving these creatures. Asgard normally would object in these matters but Loki has asked for a trade,”

“What sort of trade?”

“We have a Dwarf planet orbiting Hala, they wished to build a, fortress, of sorts there.”

“And, you’re ok with that?”

He nodded, “We have not had war with their kind in centuries and well, we are bound and you are their Queen. What better way to mark the allegiance. We protect one another.” You nodded and he eased you onto his lap stroking the leopard’s head purring, “Are you not pleased?” Leaning in to kiss your cheek.

“The cubs are both adorable, and as for the moon and Dwarf planet, I don’t know what to say, a thank you isn’t enough.”

He chuckled lowly watching as you began to pet the cubs rolling onto their backs in your lap, again he purred while stroking a finger along your cheek, “Which do you prefer? Stripes or spots?”

“They are both equally as adorable. I can’t decide.”

He nodded and chuckled, “Either way, we have a vast supply of, they are called, mice and rabbits, for them to hunt on board, hone their skills and when they are a bit larger our scientists are working on communicator collars so you may converse.”

“Talking-. You do realize these animals create a great deal of waste.”

He nodded, “Also makes a great fertilizer, where their urine, surprisingly enough is one of the rarer chemicals required for the trickiest of our power cells. Drones have been programmed to clean up after them and those in the wild for a safer source than drilling into collapsing suns in the far quadrants.”

“Well it’s not the first time urine has been used as a power source.” You mumbled.

His finger turned your chin to look at him again while the leopard climbed up onto his shoulder and rubbed its head against his cheek, “Anything you need or want I will ensure we collect it and it will thrive on this ship until our leave year.”

“Leave year?”

He nodded, “Every twenty years we are granted a leave year and our ships are docked on Hala for that duration. When you are willing I could give you a tour of my home. It is quite spacious. Plenty of room for your cubs. If you are not pleased with it I will rebuild it.”

“You’re, asking me to live with you?”

“How else would I care for you? Your belongings could easily be transported from Terra.” Unable to say anything you lowered your gaze to the tiger cub in your lap stretching to lick your chin and you stroked his head and looked to the screen lighting up.

After an odd chime you were seeing the Kree in silver jackets roughly talking to Ronan with a rather irritated looking baby Rhino in the background nudging the scientist’s leg until a pink Kree bent to pick it up making it call out. When placed into a floating cart it huffed and butted its head against the barrier around it until another smaller one was placed beside it. Next a flock of emu and ostriches were led next by a group with armored shields guiding them along through a portal door soon followed by a whole herd of adult female elephants coated in scars with babies between their feet and five scarred bull elephants behind them walking without any urging at all.

Ronan gave his answer and the screen shut off freeing him to grin at you again, “Phase two of collecting all land species has begun it seems. Ahead of schedule, a great deal are willing in search of food.”

Another chime sounded and Tony’s face popped up on screen with Bruce behind him and Sam easing into the picture behind him, “Jaqi, your boyfriend is stealing our animals. Candy is fine, but those are endangered species! Peta is pissed!”

“Peta can suck it.” At that Bruce chuckled while Sam laughed out loud.

Ronan, “Your people refuse to save these creatures and treat them humanely. Clearly your breeding and protection procedures are laughable. We will see to their rejuvenation.”

Tony blinked at him then wet his lips planting his hands on the desk asking in disbelief, “You’re, you’re saving the animals? Really? Fury says you’ve tried to destroy our planet before, and now you’re trying to save our animals, what do you get out of it?”

Ronan flatly replied, “Jaqi enjoys Terran creatures, I will not allow you Terrans to destroy them. Consider this your warning, any further depletion of these species you have claimed as near extinction and my people will remove them all from your planet to our protected habitats. We are collecting your land species now, you will be seeing our explorations of your oceans to do the same in those next.”

Bruce, “You’re copying our oceans too?”

Ronan, “From the surface to ocean floor.”

Bruce, “No one’s been that deep.”

Ronan, “Our technology is superior to yours.”

Bruce, “I’m not debating that,” he wet his lips, “When you’re done scouring the oceans, could we get a copy of that data. We only know, 10%, if that of what’s down there.”

Ronan nodded, “Yes. And we will keep you updated on the population data as time passes. It seems quite a number are already settling in nicely to their new homes.”

Tony, “Could you take the mosquitoes too?”

Ronan flatly replied, “No, we did not see a use for them so we eradicated them before claiming the other creatures. Easily replaced by more tolerable food sources for the animals without spreading disease.”

Tony, “You killed off the mosquitoes?!”

Ronan, “And already your bees are thriving on our planet, we estimate a doubling in number by months end.” Ronan glanced at you again feeling the gurgle of your stomach about ready to growl, “We will keep you informed. I must go.” He ended the video chat instantly kissing your cheek again helping you to your feet with hand raised to claim the cub on his shoulder to hold against his chest saying, “You are hungry.”

He paused when you turned and rose onto your toes, folding a finger under the neck of his chest plate pulling him into your reach to kiss his cheek, stirring a smirk across his lips, “Thank you for the cactus.”

He raised a brow, “Cactus?”

“The, furry potted cactus you gave me?”

“Ah, the token. It is not called a cactus. When we reach our leave year as per tradition you may plant it where you will on my land. As we grow so shall it.”

A grin spread across your face only to pause at his lips meeting yours, “That is so sweet.”

“Your cactus are sweet? We do not eat our tokens.”

“No, it-,” you kissed him again, “Figure of speech. Just, thank you.”

He nodded, “Of course. There are other markers, though those do not flourish off planet, and so will have to wait until we settle there.”

“Food first, we can talk about moving in and traditions later.”

He smirked stealing another kiss, “Yes, food, and while we eat we can watch your cubs on their first hunt.”

You raised a brow following him, only to find in the mess hall a small maze like pen you set them into while Gamora and Nebula arrived with a pair of mice they set free in the pen instantly perking up the cubs ears and making them crouch in their slow creep in to their first pounces. All around you caught the pleased smirks on the faces of the Kree stealing glances of their own at the learning cubs. Shaking your head you focused on your odd meal completely unaware of Tony’s flurried creation of posters and buttons bearing Ronan’s face spouting off orders to save the bees, whales and other endangered species as an edited clip of Ronan’s orders concerning the creatures of the planet.

Threat or not everyone was eagerly awaiting news of how the aliens had rehoused their creatures and affected the populations in the new habitats. Needless to say, Peta was pissed, but what could they really do against the Kree Empire, who was far less interested in ads and posters, skipping straight to the solution of the problem, removing humans altogether and allowing the animals a clean environment to resettle in and begin anew. Ignoring the strange feeling the unmatchable gifts left you with you returned to bed with your Warrior shadowing you still with cubs in hand ready to share yet another of his plans with you.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adding in the backstory of why Jaqi hates Thanos. And intro for Hella and Skurge with a dash of Wakanda thrown in for the final showdown. Please let me know what you think. Only a few more parts to this i have planned so i hope you guys will enjoy what's coming up too! :D

Tangled under your sheets the distant cry of terrified Qixuian sprinting through the streets of their city calling out the name they had dubbed you upon the first visit you had stopped here with young teen Loki to end an attempt at planning an attack on Asgardian base planets not far from theirs. This planet had since then became the place you would always sneak away to when you wished to be alone together until he was able to teleport to you at will. Though this time you had remained alone for good reason. In the time Loki was aiding in silencing the bitter beginnings of a war stirring up between Jotuns and Asgardians you remained here for the safety of the child you were expecting. Rounded and shifting your belly made it difficult to get up, but once you did you groaned and made your way to the streets from your gifted home.

In the sky a familiar ship came into view, at the start of your pregnancy you had refused to train a giant raisin of a creature who wished to gain powerful enough to defy death, far from understanding you were in fact considered the living embodiment of the vastly feared entity claiming all. That refusal spiraled him down a path he could not reverse from and now you felt every inch of your body fuming in an endless rage at the fact you now had to face him while these people fled to their bunkers and that this puny being brought an army to your haven.

Ships started to descend and wither away as your glow grew. A darting of your eyes to the side in the turn of your head brought Thanos and his smirk into your vision with something resembling a cannon in his arms the world seemed to still and yet you found yourself frozen in place feeling a final kick from your round belly. A tug of the trigger later you were at the bottom of a giant pile of rubble.

Heavy crunching steps later Thanos moved closer to the rubble growling out, “You should have accepted me as your pupil.” Moving closer his boot collided with a crumbled half of a block that partially crumbled while the rest flew away stirring a shift in the pile. With a brow twitching up he watched a glowing cask rise to the surface stirring a smirk onto his face, the purple glow pulsing around it luring him closer, “Ah, it seems I won’t be needing you after all.” His hand folded around the cask and he teleported back to his ship leaving you under the rubble.

In the aftermath you were found by the Asgardian forces and taken back to your chambers in the arms of the crying Prince leading them. Days he held you as you both wept and mourned for the child stolen from you, both swearing revenge one day. Centuries in various dimensions, alternate timelines and various underworlds you searched for any trace of what was stolen or the creature responsible. He could hide, but you knew one day he would stumble in his hiding path right into your sights, and there would be no escape or excuse enough to spare his life.

Again and again your hearts echoed, “Nothing matters anymore to me. Nothing but you.” Together you would find him and then you could finally heal your unspoken wounds for the lost heir never mentioned in the great golden kingdom except from those who had found you and the gate keeper always searching in hopes of easing your healing.

…

Deep in the depths of an alternate dimension in Hel, seated in the sunny empty city filled with tiny sheep like citizens filling it other than the slumped over form of the armor clad bald Asgardian laid basking in the sun growling under his breath to a butterfly fluttering above his head while Hel sat cross legged bouncing her foot with brow twitching between sips on her tea cup. Into the courtyard the giant purple figure entered with a grin on his face and cask tucked under his elbow out of sight of the intrigued pair. A vague banter began with the Titan trying to form a kinship with the pair only dividing them more as the pair knew he was up to something. Though with a possible escape at their hands they listened.

At the revelation of the cask to the pair they held back their instinctual fear knowing just who he had stolen, whatever that cask held, from. The creature responsible for locking them away when Odin found himself unable to do so in Hela’s quest for dominance. Yes he granted freedom, but at the price and who they would slight to gain it stirred a tremble in their souls at accepting it.

Thanos, “Aid me in opening this and I will set you free.”

Straightening up in her seat Hela eyed the cask and thinking back to the tale of how you had been birthed into this world she replied, “We cannot. To open that cask you must fill a planet with those who worship it.” His brow rose and she continued, “They must be completely devoted to that cask for it to open.”

Nodding his head Skurge joined in, “Yes. A typical Celestial trick. Full planet of worshippers and an Infinity Stone. Won’t open for less.”

Thanos released out a growling breath and turned to leave, the pair returned to their prior positions with a hint of a smirk now imagining the suffering he would endure at your hands when the path they had set him on easily bringing what he had stolen back to your attention.

.

Centuries bled by and again Thanos found another planet bearing a Celestial. No matter what none he crossed paths with could open the cask and finally he would uncover the truth on how to open it. Into the sights of Ego he strut and came to a halt, though his attempts failed at gaining aid in opening his mysterious cask.

Thanos cut of the rambling Celestial crudely, “I came in seek of power! Not your ramblings!”

A chortle came from Ego and he tossed a small pink stone to the Titan before he waved his hand, “You want power, there. Take it and go, see how long you last before you are torn apart.” Turning his back on the Titan he vanished from sight while Thanos returned to Hel.

.

Thanos, “I have the planet of worshippers, this Infinity Stone and now you will show me how to open this cask!”

Slyly Hela eased her propped up leg down and stood crossing to Thanos with a grin, “Of course, however we will be requiring something first.” Thanos’ brows narrowed and Hela’s shoulders twitched up in a brief shrug, “Merely a trinket to you, however, I will require it to regain my full power to aid in its opening.”

Thanos, “What trinket?”

“Merely a trifle, a mask, in the nation of Wakanda.”

Motioning his hand to the side Thanos allowed her to lead the way while pressing the cask into her chest, as his head neared her ear her eyes twitched wider feeling the heartbeat inside the cask, now knowing just what, or who rather, he had taken from you. In an impatient growl he said, “You have one day to retrieve your trifle.”

She nodded and guided Skurge through the vortex cradling the cask to her chest ensuring its gentle handling. Handed control of a small craft she piloted it out through the vast stretch of space in the opposite direction of her former home, no matter her former plans she would return your child to you and pay for the betrayal of her oath to remain in place until Odin’s death with her life if you wished it. Beside her Skurge took his turn cradling the cask, grinning widely at the pulsing from inside and faint giggle he heard at his reciting an old Asgardian tale all of their young learn.

…

Vast stretches of green came into view past a great stretch of barren dust coated lands until a hidden kingdom tucked in a band of trees grew around them with a few hours to spare until Thanos would come after them. No matter the defenses they attempted to raise the craft still broke through their borders and landed in the main field outside of the palace where they exited and walked towards the palace and growing number of Dora Milaje forming to block their entrance. A calm grin spread on Hela’s face in her continued approach ending ten feet from them to say in their language, “I am Hela, Princess of Asgard, and I order you to call for Death.”

Unsteadily they looked at one another and sent one along the end of their lines to alert their newly named King to the order while the others led the pair into the palace under heavy guard until the King would meet with them. Behind walls and sealed doors T’Challa listened to the order and without fail, as his father had instructed him continuously in his youth, if any called for Death then he would have to carry out the order.

Out of bed he scrambled to the etched panther mask on the wall his hand settled in and then shoved as hard as he could muttering the required words causing it to glow brightly while the golden eyes of Heimdall turned towards the kingdom as your message was relayed.

Through to the waiting pair he passed, finding them sipping on the tea offered they set down when he entered, his eyes falling to the glowing cask in Hela’s curled arm narrowing his eyes. A grin eased onto her face and she stated, “I apologize for my methods, though as you know none steal from Death, and I have discovered, something very dear to her.”

A silent glance at his mother on the fabled, now clearly named female, entity ensured his silence on that discovery to meet Hela’s gaze to ask, “Why have you come here?”

“I am not welcome on Asgard without her blessing. Your lands were the closest I could recall to my former location.”

“And why would you be welcome here by that reckoning?” Shuri called out on her entrance to the room from the doorway.”

T’Chala shushed her and turned back to the pair while Shuri leaned in to inspect the cask Hela eased her free hand over cradling it closer to her chest as he said, “Any ordering for Death will find safety in these lands until Death comes to answer their call and render its verdict.”

Hela smirked then eyed Shuri in her next lean in trying to decipher what she was holding.

…

In a sharp jolt from your dream your body coiled into a ball and tears flowed freely down your cheeks. The sudden wave of anguish and pain coursed through Ronan tearing him from his inspection of the lowest levels of the ship in a full speed race straight for your chamber. His fist collided with the knot on the wall outside and his body barely made it through the opening doors. In a reach up he removed his helmet and dropped it by your bed while the doors closed again blocking the view of the few curious Kree passing by. A jerk of the twisted covers tangled around your legs freed him to kneel behind you, wrapping his arms around you in his settling onto his side protectively nestling you against his chest. In a low hum he pled, “My Dear One, please stir.”

Firmly his forehead pressed to yours while in your stirring you nestled tighter into his arms, a few moments you wept and then eased up while he did. His hand rose wiping your cheeks feeling the warm streams across his own in sharing your deep rooted seemingly endless anguish. “What stirred this?” Leaning closer his forehead tapped yours urging your eyes to shut again at his soft, “Hmm?”

Again he wiped away your next tear and you softly stated, “You never asked me why I hate Thanos, so deeply.”

His forehead left yours to hum out, “He attempted to steal your tesseract.”

You shook your head and another tear fell, “You may hate me for not telling you this,”

His hand cupped your cheek and his eyes met yours in a comforting gaze, “I will never hate you. You are my Keeper, you are allowed your secrets and your past.”

Another tear rolled down your cheek and you stated after wetting your lips, “When Thanos escaped Titan in its dying breath he found me asking for lessons to gain power. I refused. I,” you wet your lips again, “The next time I saw him, I was pregnant,” at that final word he felt your anguish stir into a fiery rage now coursing through him in your low gritted admission, “He took my child from me. And when I find him, I am going to tear out his heart.”

Again his forehead pressed to yours in a silent agreement to join you in ensuring this would come about. “I will ensure you find him.”

A tilt of your head opened his eyes again as another tear rolled down your cheek, “We won’t have to wait long. In my sleep I discovered something. My brother gave him the stone he was gifted.”

In a growl at your building rage Ronan asked, “Where are we going?” Guiding your legs to the end of the bed helping you onto your feet when he cupped your cheeks saying, “I give you my word, we will get justice for who was stolen from you. And should you welcome it later I will sire you as many children you could ever yearn for.”

Unable to help it you smirked at him, “What a change. First you are guns out for revenge, and now you talk of justice. No doubt an entire clan of purring Celestials would be quite fearful of an idea to quite a few races.”

Leaning in his lips ghosted yours in a playful growl, “Let them fear us.” Gently at first his lips pressed to yours and in your eager lean into it he lingered until you pulled back at the sounding of a distant horn sounding. Lowly he growled out, “Our weapons have recharged and reloaded.” Gently he turned you towards your clothes and bent to claim his helmet wiping his own cheeks behind your back, “Where are we going?”

Tugging your jeans on you smirked back at him, “First Earth. My Nephew deserves to meet his father at least once before I tear him apart.” Leaning down you pulled on your sneakers and mentally shared with Loki what had happened. Smoothly you pulled your tank top lower over your middle and in his adding his helmet again you pressed your hand to his chest he laid his over yours saying, “Marshmallow, my Dear one.”

With a giggle you accepted the kiss he leaned in for, shielded his appearance and when Nebula, Gamora and Korath entered at your mental call you zapped the group all back to Stark Tower in Loki’s usual room. Through the door you led them down the hall and into the packed living room where Peter was seated beside Thor and Yondu. In a clear voice you called out, “Peter.” His eyes turned to you and his brows rose at the pause of their conversation, “I thought you’d like to meet your father before I kill him.”

At the kitchen counter on your right you caught Tony’s glass being lowered to it while Bruce’s mouth dropped open and Peter practically leapt up to join you, “Kill him? Wait, what, literally?”

You nodded, “Yup. I gave him one rule and he deliberately presses my patience.”

Peter, “But, kill him?”

With a giggle you settled your hand on his shoulder zapping you all to a distant planet, “When you meet him you’ll understand what I mean.”

.

“Ego!” In a turn your silver haired brother turned with a grin.

“Sister! So great to see you again!” his grin dropped as you eyed the dead female Jotun at his feet narrowing your gaze, his free hand extended while the sleeping child in his other arm shifted with a soft coo, “No, no, I did not kill her!”

You nodded, “So if reanimate her she will defend that?”

His lips parted and then closed as you neared him reaching out, “Give me my nephew.”

With a sigh he relented, “I haven’t even been able to test him yet.”

You nodded cradling the infant in your arm and turned motioning your free hand, “Your son Peter.” Ego’s brows rose even in his glance from Peter back to you, “Do not kill him!” Your hand waved over the child’s dead mother raising her body to float behind you out to a small courtyard where you eyed his mother’s body with a sigh, “Pity, my father will not release her.” Your fingers waved and her body faded leaving you to peer down at the boy while Heimdall appeared beside you.

His head bowed to you and he stated, “My Queen, Wakanda called for you.” His eyes lowered to the infant in your arms. A bit lower he added, “It was Hela and Skurge.”

Your head tilted to the side and you raised a brow, “What-,” you shook your head and groaned, “I will handle that after this is over.”

He nodded eyeing the boy, “Queen Mother Frigga would be grateful to guard your nephew for the time being.”

A soft smile eased across your lips and you handed him over, “Thank you Heimdall.”

He bowed his head again cradling the boy to his chest then zapped himself back again to stroll from the Bifrost across the rainbow bridge to Asgard.

.

By the end of the first half hour while you mingled with the group sharing about the planet and your brother you stood seeing Peter approaching you in an agitated mood, “I am not related to that, psychopath!”

“It’s only blood Peter. I’ll send you back.”

He looked you over, “Where’s the-,” back in Stark Tower he and the group waited as he mumbled, “baby?” he looked to Ronan, “What did she do to the baby?!”

Ronan looked him over, “He was delivered to Asgard. For safekeeping.”

Peter shook his head, “He doesn’t have any relatives on Asgard!”

Ronan’s head cocked and he stated as Thor neared them all curiously while he sipped on a beer, “Her husband Loki is there. His mother Frigga is tending to the infant.”

Thor glanced between the pair, “Excuse me, but, if I may, our mother died, years ago before I relinquished my place in line to the throne. And Loki is not wed.”

Ronan shook his head, “The guard Heimdall referred to a Queen Mother Frigga and perhaps the union was carried out in private or in your absence due to a possible objection.”

Thor, “Why would Loki not tell me about his wife and our mother?!”

Ronan, “Perhaps he is busy in overseeing the kingdom.”

Thor, “What?!” he asked with an amused chuckle, “Father would never grant him charge-,” he paused then set down his beer on the counter asking, “What happened to father?!”

Ronan shook his head, “I am unaware. On my only visit to Asgard Heimdall mentioned no sight of him and Jaqi seconded that observation.”

Thor, “He’s just, gone?!”

Ronan raised a brow, “Perhaps you should converse with your brother more often.” He stated moving towards the couch to sit down on the arm of it waiting for you.

.

“Who else have you spoken to recently?”

Ego grinned tossing a stick he pulled from his cape away, “I’m not certain. Other than Jani when she brought my son, there was this purple fellow, something about gaining power.”

You nodded and his grin dropped as your eyes began to glow, “What rule did I give you?”

“Not to give away-,”

You nodded, “Do you know who you gave that stone to?! What he did?!” You asked as he back stepped away.

“Sis, you know I would never intentionally give it to anyone who would-,”

Sharply you shouted back glowing in a purple light as your veins darkened, “HE STOLE MY BABY!” instantly his mouth dropped open and relenting to your anger and seeing what he had triggered in you he gripped his chest plate and removed it remaining in place as your hand planted onto his chest disintegrating him and his entire planet self.

In a deep seeded echo you could hear your former lectures to your brother, “Checks and balances.” A line he often mocked yet as he felt himself being torn apart in your rage he saw truly what he had done. Hundreds of children and their mothers he had murdered while your lone child you had searched the expanse of space and time to find it again. Finally he saw it, finally he understood, your race could do unthinkable impossible things and where you could make the universe flourish his selfish plan had endangered millions.

Alone you hovered in the empty sector his planet once hovered in wiping the tears from your face and you zapped yourself back to Stark Tower where your eyes turned to Peter who recognized the glow from them making him stand and ask, “What did you do?”

“I gave him one rule.” Your eyes shifted back again and you glanced at Thor who was moving closer.

Peter, “What did you do to him?! Did you kill him?!”

“He’ll regenerate in a century or two.”

Peter, “Wait, what?!”

Your eyes turned to him and you stated, “We are mainly corporeal forms,” he nodded faking his understanding hoping you would continue, “Meaning we exist and choose to take physical form. Our bodies can be destroyed and we can form a new one.”

Thor waved his hand, “That can be discussed later, that one stated,” he raised a finger for each, “Loki is wed, Odin is missing, Loki is King and somehow my mother is alive?!”

You nodded and wet your lips, “You also have an older sister Hela who just broke out of the pocket dimension she was trapped inside in the deepest pits of Hel, who just summoned me in Wakanda.”

His arm moved and Ronan stood releasing a low growl at his arm extending to touch you, “At least tell me about my mother.”

You let out a sigh saying, “Before you were born, before Odin was born I formed a deal with her mother, a pupil of mine, to teach her first born daughter in return for eternal loyalty. Typical deal, though normally when I form a bond with my pupils, like my race their bodies can die but they live on until it is regenerated. When her body died her soul returned to me, I sped along the regeneration when Odin decided to take off and you left the throne empty.”

Thor, “You never said a word-.”

You huffed at him, “And you have rebuked your blood right to the throne and care of your people for your freedom on Earth. Checks and Balances Prince Thor! Checks and Balances. No throne can sit empty and no empire can fall without another to rise. You manage your own little path while I have to handle my days through the screams and pleas of the trillions of others in each universe I oversee! Now, if you will excuse me, I have already torn my brother to pieces I would like to hear your sister out before tearing her arms off again.”

…

At a tilt of his chin Loki watched Heimdall’s entrance with a child in his arms tearing Frigga’s attention from her conversation with Loki instantly triggering her mothering side. Bowing his head he smirked easing the boy into her arms at her reach for him, “Another nephew of Queen Jaqi’s.” His eyes scanned over the pair before continuing, “Hela has broken free.” Frigga’s eyes snapped up to him, “I am not certain how, though she is on Wakanda and has called for Death.”

Loki nodded then eyed his mother, “Who is Hela?”

She looked at him with a tearful gaze and whispered out, “Your older sister.”

Loki wet his lips and settled his hand on her shoulder, “I will meet her there.” A grin eased onto his face to comfort her, “I trust you. You will explain when you are ready.” Leaning in he kissed her cheek then stroked the boy’s cheek, “Focus on the boy. I doubt Ego has thought up a name yet, Jaqi might need assistance.”

She nodded and he joined Heimdall back to the Bifrost to be zapped to Wakanda where he eyed the guards on his casual stroll past them into the palace where he eyed the pair and Shuri, who was still trying to get a better look what Hela was holding. The Princess’ chin tilted and she looked Loki up and down only to greet Heimdall with a grin, “Heimdall, you haven’t aged a day.”

Heimdall plainly replied, “For good reason. I am a gate keeper.”

She nodded, “Charged with overseeing all the nine realms, I know.” Her eyes turned to Loki saying, “I know him, why has he brought you?”

“I am Loki, King of Asgard.”

Hela’s head tilted and her heart skipped at the release of her proud smirk, “What happened to Odin?”

Loki shrugged, “Father simply decided to travel one day after mother fell.”

“What? She is one of-,”

Loki nodded, “Yes, Death’s pupils, I know, she returned shortly after he left and our brother Thor passed the reign to me.”

Hela’s lips parted, “He abandoned the throne?!”

Loki’s head tilted and he grinned at her, “You truly have missed-,” his eyes lowered to the cask she left in her lap to smooth her hands through her hair brushing it out of her face, “Where did you get that?”

Steadily his breathing increased and she cradled it again, “I was given this, and I am returning it to her.”

Loki moved closer, “Give it to me.”

She drew her arms tighter, “I will release it only to her.” Loki inhaled sharply then his eyes rose to the flashing lights as an alarm sounded while Hela stood with a grin, “Good. He’s here.”

Loki’s chin tilted, “Who did you bring here?”

Hela grinned at him again, “Thanos.”

Loki sharply inhaled then lowly growled out by her side, “You have no idea-,”

Hela grinned at him cockily, “Thanos stole from her, broke us out and I intend to deliver him to her to face up for his crimes.” Loki clenched his jaws and her eyes narrowed, “Why are you so angry?”

T’Challa neared the group saying, “You called for Death. You said nothing of bringing an army!”

Loki growled back on his way back out of the palace with Heimdall behind him, “Trust me, the army won’t be standing for long. Just keep out of the way.”

Hela followed after him as Shuri stated, “No way we are standing by-,”

Hela cut her off catching her eye, “Do not interfere. Death will be along shortly for them.” Then kept moving on.

Shuri, “I told you not to trust them!”

T’Challa followed after them drawing his suit around his body, “We will give them a chance-,”

Shuri, “A chance to what?!”

At the sight of the ship dropping Chitari to fill the fields around the palace stirring the armies out to defend their kingdom with Thanos teleporting ahead of them. Strutting towards Hela Thanos called out, “I gave you one day.”

Behind her his eyes turned to Loki and she stated, “I found my mask as promised.”

He smirked, “Good, now open the cask.”

Behind her the full room of Avengers in Stark Tower appeared behind her halting his path as he heard your voice stating in a ominous echo, “Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to take things that don’t belong to you?” Fear spread across his face as his breath quickened at your next whisper, “You took something of mine!” In front of him in his turn to flee you appeared and jammed your glowing hand straight through his armored chest as you growled out, “Give me my stone!” Sharply you jerked your hand back holding his still beating heart in your hand stirring a smirk onto Ronan and Loki’s faces.

Waving your free hand Cerberus appeared smacking his lips hungrily at the heart still beating in your hands as you absorbed the stone that floated away from him that shifted to mist to be absorbed into your body as he fell to his knees. Tilting his head back you stated tauntingly, “So much for the all powerful Thanos. You wished for power,” your head tilted, “Well here it is,” your hand circled his neck and he groaned and wheezed for air uncertain how he was still alive and his heart was still beating in your hand, “Why is Hela here?”

In a broken gasp he hoarsely whispered back, “The cask.”

Still holding his neck in your grip your eyes turned to Hela in her step forward offering you full view of the glowing purple cask now pulsing in her hands, “He gave us this to open.”

Your eyes lowered to it and a tear rolled down your cheek shimmering as it streaked across your skin, whispering, “She’s alive.” Your eyes met hers and you said, “Give her to Loki.” Hela nodded her head and Loki turned to her accepting the cask instantly feeling tears fill his eyes at the giggling squeal coming from it stirring an awed gasp from him as he coiled around it to hold it to his ear listening to her heartbeat and giggles bringing Thor to his side settling his hand onto his brother’s back to listen in while Shuri’s mouth fell open.

Turning your attention back to Thanos while Ronan released a relieved breath that possibly your child had survived and watched as your grip on Thanos’ neck tightened and you drew him closer to you, “Would you like to know just what is you have been trying to open for so long?” Wordlessly the question lingered in his eyes and you stepped aside releasing his neck stating, “You’ve been running from Death for so long,” loudly he panted gasping for air in your turn to Loki as he moved closer to you holding out the cask that let out another giggle.

“Let me guess, you imagined what was inside for so long, I doubt you have paid attention to your lessons. One mainly being what happened on Morag.” Gently the cask was eased into your arm and you squeezed the heart in your other hand forcing Thanos onto all fours groaning lowly in pain. You turned to him, “The last time you visited me, you took my baby from me.” His eyes widened and fell to the cask in your arm, “And now I will wipe your forces and all of your allies out of this universe.”

Your eyes began to glow as you added, “You wanted to flee from Death and yet you came straight to my door. No one steals from me,” your hand tightened more inching him closer to the ground as the Chitauri began to disintegrate both there and on all of their ships and bases across the universe, “No one escapes Death. You wanted to be a god-.” Absently you tossed the heart at Cerberus the middle head snapped between its jaws and peered down at the glowing cask in your arm fading away revealing a glowing multicolored orb dimming to reveal your blue eyed raven haired daughter giggling up at you.

Still groaning on all fours Thanos felt every ounce of pain he had ever inflicted coursing through his body as Loki removed his cape with a tearful grin he gently wrapped around your daughter shifting it into a golden diaper and gown, accepting her from you to do so. Nearing you Cerberus sniffed at your arm and the two other heads lapped at the blood on your hand and arm while Thanos rasped out inching up, “All that, and yet heartless I am still breathing!”

His proud grin dropped at your smirk while your father appeared behind him, shapeless, merely an ominous shadow that wrapped around him swallowing him whole sucking him into Death’s halls leaving you to grin at Cerberus who was sniffing your daughter. Giggling up at him she nuzzled her head against his snout before he turned and trotted away fading out of sight while you accepted the toddler into your arms, “How are you little Melody? Rest well?” Again she giggled and squealed folding against your chest in your turn to look at Hela who was eyeing her affectionately between Loki’s strokes across her back and arms. “I haven’t forgotten you yet.”

She nodded her head while Skurge wet his lips anxiously, “I knew the risks of escaping, but I had to return the cask to you.”

With a sigh you stated, “One chance, don’t make me kill you.”

She nodded and looked to Loki, “I take it I am an aunt then, since Loki stated we are related?”

Thor looked at her, “You’re Hela, my sister?”

She looked him over, “We are related? You do not look like Odin.”

Thor looked her over firing back, “You do not resemble mother.”

Shifting your gaze you locked eyes with T’Challa, who bowed his head to you and you flashed him a weak smile speaking in his language, “I apologize for the trouble we have caused though an old debt needed to be paid. We will be leaving now.”

.

Before he could nod you zapped all of you back to Stark Tower where your eyes shut for a moment and to save your energy Ronan’s disguise fell while Thor pulled Loki and Hela into the kitchen as you cradled your daughter.

Firmly Ronan’s hand settled on your back while everyone either went to listen in on the brothers and fix a meal for you all, over to the couch he had stolen you from he settled you down and sat beside you. Lowly he hummed by your ear, “I am pleased she is still alive.”

Looking your daughter over Gamora uneasily shifted on your feet and you stated, “Don’t give me that look. You had no idea… I had no idea he had taken her cask.”

Nebula, “She is healthy, after being in that cask so long?”

Your eyes met hers and you nodded, “Like me she does not require a physical form, merely needed a nudge to complete hers to how it would have been had I given birth naturally.”

Korath, “I take it you will be dwelling with your husband now?”

You looked up at him, “If there’s a rule against having her on board most likely.”

Ronan hummed leaning in to stroke his finger along her hand that folded around it turning blue in her look up at him parting his lips, “Your children are always welcome on my ship.” After a pause when her eyes flashed to fully red he asked, “She is part Jotun?”

Loki, who had slipped free claimed your other side, “After me, half, yes.”

Ronan looked over your head to him asking, “The Asgardians know this?”

Loki nodded, “Yes. I am my mother’s son. I have never steered them wrong. No matter my birth parents.”

Ronan couldn’t help but smirk humming to you, “Warriors in blue?”

“My weakness.” Stirring a deep chuckle from him peering at melody again as she shifted back again in Loki’s lean in to kiss her forehead.

Loki, “I hope you don’t mind my dropping by to visit her.”

Ronan, “You will not stay with us?”

He shook his head, “No, Asgard needs me. We will work out a schedule, days to split between us and nights with her mother of course.”

Ronan glanced between you, “Whatever you wish. We will ensure she has everything necessary and that there is ample space for your needs as well.”

Loki chuckled, “I doubt I would need little past two feet of Jaqi’s room.”

“If anything while you’re busy I can spend time on Asgard. Showing her off to grandma.”

Inching closer to your back Thor peered over your head with his hair pooling over your face as she giggled and grabbed onto it making him chuckle and whisper, “I’m an uncle!” His hand settled on top of Loki’s shoulder, “You owe the kingdom a ceremony. Centuries I’ve had a sister right in front of me and you said nothing.”

Loki, “Father had his own choices for me.”

Thor, “And mother?”

Loki, “Approved of course. Mourned with us, assisted in the hunt.”

Thor, “Surely father-,”

Hela shook her head, “No, he wouldn’t. Not after locking me away for trying to take power. To marry and conceive with Jaqi, Loki could grow to be a threat to Asgard with that power.”

With another chuckle through Thor’s hair you said, “We should go show her off and introduce her to her cousin.” You grinned at Loki, “I was thinking Frode.”

Thor, “Wise and clever. No doubt with you and mother raising him he will be.”

On your feet the bifrost zapped Ronan, his trio of warriors and the Asgardians out to the Royal Wing in Asgard with the others zapped straight to the kitchens where they paused confused for a moment until the staff jumped in to prepare a feast hearing the news while you introduced Frigga to her granddaughter after her timid greeting to Hela.

Beside you Ronan stated, “If you wish to live here full time-,”

His words were silenced at your turn to face him, curling your fingers under his chin turning it from his watching Thor stealing a chance to hold Melody to you to lean in and accept a gentle kiss, “Letting go hurts, a lot. But even if I leave her with Loki through the days, even across the universe I can still feel her and hear her. Now that I have her back we’re never really apart. You aren’t rid of me yet.” Making him chuckle and cup your cheek, “You seem tired.”

You nodded, “I think I’ll take a nap.”

At your side Loki appeared with a wide grin claiming a loving kiss, “Get some sleep Love. It will take some time to prepare a worthy meal.” Behind you Ronan followed after a nod of Loki’s head to do so stirring a grin on the Kree warrior’s face in another glance at your daughter stirring up his own imagined future children with you on his way to curl around you for your nap.


End file.
